The Meaning of Whatever
by Moshi Moshi Mai
Summary: Rinoa leaves Squall after hurtful words he accidentally says. After she leaves for Timber, Squall realizes how he took her for granted, and that without her, his life will always be incomplete.
1. Fight

Author's Note - I'm be writing yet another story! The title might sound odd, but you'll understand in the last chapter. Or, if you are really smart people, (hehe no offense) you'll get it earlier.

The Meaning of Whatever  
By Moshi Moshi Mai

"...So, I need you to complete this mission," the Headmaster concluded.

Squall nodded in reply and stood up.

"Is that all you need?" he questioned politely. Cid nodded and Squall left the office.  
  
Squall walked down the halls of the huge Garden that was his home. He was already tired from his last mission just two weeks ago, and now Cid had assigned yet another task for him. Sometimes he wished he wasn't a high rank SeeD so he could spend time like a normal teenager.

He sat down on a bench and stared at the fountain. The water sparkled and glistened as it came out of the spout. Squall rummaged through his pocket and fumbled out a penny. He tossed the coin into the shallow water and closed his eyes in deep thought. He made a wish, a million things he knew he never would have. Squall sighed and stood up from the bench.  
  
He checked his watch. He still had two minutes left before he was supposed to meet Rinoa in his room. She had told him earlier that day that she something important that she wanted to tell him in person. Knowing how picky his girlfriend was, he hurried back to his room.  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa slid her keycard into the lock to Squall's room. She stepped inside the room, and was met with a dark, unoccupied space. Flipping on the lights, Rinoa was surprised that Squall was not there yet. Usually he was there before her. She shrugged and sat down on a velvet chair. A moment later, a swipe of a keycard was heard and Squall entered the room.  
  
Rinoa smiled in greeting at him and he nodded. She motioned for him to take a seat across from her. He sat down.

"Well?" he asked expectantly.  
  
Rinoa took a deep breath and said, "You know that mission you're going on?"

Squall nodded.

"Well, I was thinking that maybe after you come back, we could go to Timber and spend two weeks _max_ there; you _know_ you need a break from all of this," she said.  
  
Squall shook his head, "I can't, Rinny. It's not that I don't want to, it's just-"

"Just _what, Squall? It's not against the rules. I'm sure Cid would be ok with it," she begged, pleading with her eyes._

"Look, I can't," he said firmly and stood up. It was his way of saying period, end of conversation. 

"Look, Squall. The Garden will be fine while you and I are gone. Stop trying to be a Macho Man all the time," she joked.

Squall arched a regal eyebrow.

"……_Macho Man?"_

Rinoa giggled at his puzzled look and smiled.

"Well, yeah! You're always so busy helping everyone out and," she made a wild gesticulation, "saving the world. I'm starting to feel left out of your life."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," he said quietly. Rinoa waited patiently. Wasn't he going to say he wanted to go with her? Several minutes passed and Rinoa lost her patience.

"Well, Squall?" she said, deciding to whip out her best puppy dog eyes.

"...'Well', what?"

Rinoa smacked her head exasperatedly.

"Come with me to Timber! Please?"

Squall sighed again and shook his head, his silky brown hair shimmering in the light.

"I told you I can't go, Rin. My duty as Commander of—"

"—Garden is much more important than going to Timber to have fun," Rinoa finished with a dead voice, frowning.

"Well, if you knew what I was going to say, then why did you even bother to ask?" Squall asked, staring at her. He was starting to grow angry.

"Oh, _I'm sorry_," she said mockingly, "Am I wasting your precious time, _Commander?" Rinoa bowed her head and curtsied, glaring at her boyfriend when she came back up._

Squall stood up, towering over her.

"That's not fair. You _know_ I'd love to go with you, but I can't, ok?" he said, his stormy grey eyes swirling. His patience was starting to wear thin at an alarming rate.

"_That's not fair. That's not fair,_" she mimicked, "_I can't go because I'm Macho Commander to the extreme and I'd rather go on missions that risk my fucking life than to spend time with…oh, what's her name?_,_ Rinao? Rin..oa? Yes, Rinoa!"_ the brunette sorceress imitated him, placing her hands on her hips.

Squall was becoming more irate with every word that came out of her mouth. His eyes flared as Rinoa continued to pick at him, her harsh words making him snarl.

Rinoa was just as angry. She didn't care at the moment how Squall reacted. Rinoa continued to mock him. When she finally noticed the look on Squall's face, she shut her mouth and glared back. Seconds passed by like hours as the tense silence went on.

Suddenly, Squall's mouth opened and he spoke in a quiet, yet dangerous voice.

"You know what? If you want to go to Timber so badly, then _go_. No one's stopping you. Go ahead and leave," he spat.

Squall crossed his arms and looked away as if daring her to leave.

Rinoa could feel small tears starting to fall down her face, and wiped them off harshly, not wanting Squall to see she was weak. Not wanting him to see how his words hurt her so.

"That's not a bad idea, Squall," she said icily.

Rinoa pivoted on her heel, stalking off towards the door. She whipped around, meeting Squall's ethereal cold grey eyes with her own fiery amber. 

"And don't be surprised if I don't bother to come back!" she screamed, slamming the door with an amazing amount of force, leaving a shocked commander behind.

Author's Note - Reviews for this story! 


	2. Goodbye

Author's Note-Wow! Thanks for all those reviews guys! Please keep reviewing! Oh yeah, dagger, don't worry I'll email you when I update! ^-^  
  
  


Rinoa ran to her room, her hands covering her wet face. She felt like she could never stop. When she got to her room, she jumped on her bed and cried out loud. _I can't believe he actually said that, she thought to herself. The young sorceress leaned against the cool white wall, hugging her knees to her chest. She slowly rocked herself, hiccupping every few seconds. After a minute or so, she absentmindedly walked over to her closet and took out her suitcase and organized her clothes into it. She looked back into her closet to see if anything remained. It was a picture of her and Squall. She had a huge smile on her face and Squall was slightly smiling, the edges of his lips twitching.  
  
Rinoa sighed. She didn't want the picture anymore. She went to her desk and took out some paper and a pencil. She wrote: _

_Squall, _

_You don't know how much you hurt me. I'm not sure if you meant it or not, but either way I'm leaving for Timber. Keep this picture. You won't be seeing me anymore. I'm leaving for Timber tonight. _

_Love, _

_Rinoa___

More tears came out of her eyes. She knew she felt hopeless and lost going to Zone and Watts while leaving most of her life behind_. P.S. Tell everyone I'm sorry....._She picked the paper up and reread it. _P.S.S.__ Since we're not together anymore........I guess you want your ring back. You can have it back, I don't care, not anymore.  
  
She cried some more and took the precious Griever ring off her slim fingers. She slammed the ring on the table next to her letter and the picture. Another thought came into her head. _He hasn't even come for me...He doesn't_ _care. He thinks I'm a spoiled loser....._She wiped away her tears and in the next moment, she became just as cold as Squall. Her care-free spirit and gleefulness were pushed away from her.  She looked back down at the letter and scratched out _Love,_ leaving her name at the bottom. She picked up her suitcase and opened her door. She looked around her room one last time before closing it behind her._

*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
_I totally blew it_. 

Squall paced around the room, thinking of what to do next. _Squall, you fucking bastard! Go to her damn room!_ He put his jacket on and raced out the door. When he was in front of her room, he hesitated. Then he knocked three times. The knocks seemed so hollow, like nothing was there behind the door. 

"Rinoa, are you there? You probably don't....want to talk to me...but I didn't mean it. Sometimes it just comes out....." he started. _Damn! I'm getting this nowhere! How in hell is she going to believe I didn't mean to tell her that?! "Rinoa?" he said softly.  
  
_Shit! What if she's killing herself in there?! _In panic, he hastily slid her key card in and kicked the door open. The sight before him made him want to fall on his knees and cry, but he stood firm and walked to her desk. He picked up a small stationery with her handwriting on it. After reading the sad letter, he picked up the picture of them together, and then he picked up his ring. In anger, he threw the ring to the ground and ripped the picture to shreds. _

"Damn you, Rinoa! What did I ever do! I told you I didn't mean it!" came his anguished voice.  
  
Tiny droplets, so tiny you could hardly see them, came slowly out of his eyes. He wiped them away quickly, afraid someone might see him. "She's trying to trick me, probably. Yeah," he said aloud, making cold thoughts about her. "I'll get along just fine without you Rinoa Heartilly, you'll see!" he said. He walked out of her room, scattering pieces of paper around on the floor and leaving a precious gleaming object behind. 


	3. Missing You

Author's Note-The third chapter to this story is UP!!! Yahoo! Thanks for all these reviews!  
  
Rinoa leaned her face against the glass window of the train. She sighed and small pieces of frost decorated the window. Her thoughts drifted off again to Squall. She missed him a lot, but she knew she would never feel the same way about him anymore. Her hand went up to her necklace only to find silver thread hanging there. Her fingers felt odd touching the plain thread, like her hands didn't match with her necklace anymore. At least she still had her mother's wedding ring on her right wedding finger; it was a small consolation to her current crisis. She rubbed the plain silver ring thoughtfully, once more touching her necklace and reaching for the clasp.  
  
She slowly took off her necklace, hoping that it would erase Squall from her life. She put it carefully in her purse and decided to look out the window again. _So this is what it's like with a boring life, having nobody to hold_ _you...anymore._ She got angry at herself for putting Squall in everything she was thinking of. 

_He's not yours anymore!_ _He never loved you....or did he? Well, what matters is that he DID, but now he doesn't. I'm just going to stay out of_ _his life. Yeah, he'll be better off without some nosy brat like me following him around. Maybe I'm the problem. She was so confused and hurt. She just wanted to push all the horrible thoughts away from her mind and focus on her other dream besides being a SeeD.  
  
She had always loved singing. An inspiration had come to her one day when her mom had sung Eyes On Me to Rinoa when she was sleeping. Rinoa never thought of it, but her mom was her muse. Ever since that one night, Rinoa had been practicing and was satisfied with her voice. But when her mother had died, she had given up on it and started a new life with Squall. Since Squall had made her leave, she decided to start yet another life, becoming a singer. She decided that her very first song would have to be about Squall so she could tell him how much he hurt her.  
  
She started to hum a tune to the song, a very sad melody. She liked how it sounded and jotted down words for her song. Every once in a while she would look out the window and more words would come to her head. When she looked at her first song, she smiled. For the very first time in 3 days she smiled.  
  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
Squall opened his eyes. He looked up at the ceiling. He noticed how ordinary his ceiling looked. Just plain white. Since Rinoa had left him, he had concentrated his mind on other things he rarely noticed like the white ceiling. _Shit,_ __this isn't working. How come my life is so boring all of a sudden? Going back home to Garden after a hard mission __doesn't seem so rewarding anymore.....(Sigh) I miss her.....He pictured her happy smile. It made his lips twitch a little, but then it quickly disappeared and his thoughts were replaced with self-loathing that made him scowl.  
  
He stood up and got ready for another boring day since Rinoa had left. When he got to the cafeteria, he was greeted by Selphie who was happy even in the saddest of times. _

"HEY SQUALL!!!!!! **WAZZUP? I-"she stopped herself, remembering what had just happened to Squall. She motioned for him to take a seat and she sat down in Irvine's lap, giggling while he whispered sweet words to her. Squall saw this and the pain came again. He missed Rinoa too much. He looked away from the happy couple and slumped down in a seat.  
  
Quistis noticed his behavior. When Rinoa was around, he seemed to smile every once in a while instead of once in a blue moon. Now it seemed he'd never smile. Rinoa was the one for him, he just didn't know that. **

"Squall? What's wrong?" Quistis said to him, even though she knew the answer. Squall looked at her, his piercing blue eyes cold.

 ".......I feel so stupid...." he muttered to Quistis. 

"Why? Exactly what did you say to her to make her leave?" Quistis asked, concerned.

 "I.....I was having a bad day and she wanted me to leave with her to Timber for a break....she begged me...I really wanted to go, but I knew I shouldn't.....I got mad at her and I......Shit, Quistis...if I wasn't so selfish, she would never have left......me," he said, his last sentence coming down to a whisper.  
  
The rest of the group had become silent and watched the silent brown-haired man who was so strong, looking down and playing with his chain necklace. 

_I talk too much. This is none of their concern. It's between me and her. It's her_ _decision to leave me...._

   
He stood up suddenly, startling everyone. "Look, don't talk to me about her anymore. She's a faded memory. I don't need her and obviously she doesn't need me," he spoke quietly. He hurried out of the cafeteria, leaving his friends very concerned.  
  
Quistis shook her head. "Just like that time he let her go to the Sorceress Memorial....He let her go again," she said to herself. _Squall, you're a fool.... Even though she knew he acted like he didn't need anyone's help, she knew he was just begging for it deep down. She was going to get the two lovers back together, no matter how hard it would be. She excused herself from the table and went to her room to call Rinoa. _

Author's Note-Thanks for all these reviews guys! Keep it up!


	4. Unlocking the Past

Quistis quickly slid her keycard and entered her room. She threw her belongings on the floor in a hurry and flopped down on her bed. She picked up her phone and dialed 0.  
  
A muffled voice on the other end of the line responded, "Hello, this is Balamb Operator; how may I help you?"

 "Yes, can you please connect me with the Timber Operator? This is an emergency," Quistis said. 

There was a short pause before the voice said, "Hold on, ma'am, I will connect you in a moment." Quistis thanked the operator and waited for the Timber Operator to answer.  
  
A minute later, a man's voice came through the phone. "Greetings, ma'am, this is the Timber Operator, how may I help you?" Quistis quickly told the man that she would like to speak with Rinoa Heartilly, and if there was no phone number for the girl or if there was no answer, to phone Zone and Watts.  
  
"Alright, ma'am, please hold for a moment." There was ringing and an answering machine said, "Hi! This is Rinoa Heartilly speaking here! I'm not here at the moment! I'm hanging with my buds Zone and Watts at their place so if you would like to contact me immediately, call those two! Bye!" *beep*  
  
The operator hung up and asked Quistis if she would like to call Zone and Watts. "Yes," Quistis replied. The Timber Operator phoned Zone and Watts. The phone rang three times before it picked up. 

"Hello?" came a male voice. 

"Hey, Zone! I haven't heard from you in a long time. Remember me? It's Quistis Trepe, you gave me that last ticket for the train. I thank you again, I promise to pay you back. I'm in a real hurry, so can I please talk to Rinoa?" Quistis asked.  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah! I remember! You're welcome for the ticket. Hold on a minute, Quistis, I'll get Rinoa," Zone cheerfully said. There was a yell for Rinoa and a "What!" was heard. Then the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs slowly was heard.  
  
Rinoa picked up the phone from the table, "Hey, Quisty! I miss you a lot!" Rinoa said. Somehow, even though Rinoa sounded cheerful, Quistis could still hear the hollowness of it.  
  
"Hey Rinny! This might not be the time, but I'd like to know what happened between you and him," Quistis said hesitantly.  
  
"Oh....well....," Rinoa said. "I just left him because I guess we don't deserve each other and we have nothing in common. He never has time for me anymore because of his missions. I know he probably got mad at me because I was begging him like a spoiled brat to come with me to Timber for a while.......Quistis, he hurt my feelings. I never thought he'd do that," Rinoa said sadly, tears streaming down her face at the memory.  
  
Quistis paused and stopped to think for a moment. _Squall, Squall, Squall...Quistis thought as she shook her head. "Rinoa, you know he'd never mean that. I have to tell you something. Right after you left, he just turned back into the lone wolf, the ice cold student I used to know before you came along. Don't you see? He needs you and you need him," Quistis said strongly, proud of what she had said.  
  
Rinoa thought about it for a moment and sighed, "I don't know....I think he'll be my last....love,". Quistis was shocked. _

"What do you mean? You've been rejected before?"

Rinoa heaved another big sigh and said, "I'll tell you the story. But I'll only say it once so listen." Quistis became silent and Rinoa began her story.  
  
"My first love was about two years before I met Squall. His name was Blaine or something. I thought we were meant for each other. Turns out he only used me for fame because I was the General's daughter.....I thought I'd never fall in love again because of him. Then...heh, what do you know? It was summer, a year after I had broken up with Blaine and I was walking along a beach. I sat down on the beach and was deep in thought when I saw him.

 "He was walking towards me in his gray trench coat. He had stunning green eyes that I stupidly fell for. He had that beautiful blonde hair and a body to die for.  When he came up to me, he shyly said hi and I guess we hooked up. But it was only puppy love. It didn't last long. Seifer left me when I was sleeping and my heart was broken yet again. But we kept in touch, so we stayed close friends, and for some reason I didn't hate him for it. But that's not the point. 

"Anyways, I never knew Squall was his rival until I met him. I asked for help from trained SeeDs at Garden and Squall just happened to show up. I thought, hey! I remember him from that dance! But I promised myself not to fall in love.....and you know what? I did anyways! I'm so stupid.....I'm not going to let myself get hurt over and over again, Quistis..." Rinoa finished.  
  
"Wow," was all Quistis could say.   

"Do me a favor, Quisty. Don't tell Squall. I still have feelings for him, but only as a friend," Rinoa lied.  
  
Quistis shook her head and said, "No. You guys are meant for each other. The whole world knows that. I'm not going to give up."  
  
Rinoa sighed, "I'm sorry, Quistis. I don't want to fall in love again and only get rejection and hatred from it all. I guess I'm going to start a whole new life. I want to forget about everything in the past. Forget about him, forget about...everyone...my friends...."  
  
Before Quistis could say anything, Rinoa broke down into tears and hung up the phone.  
  
  
  
Author's Note-REVIEWS YOU GUYS!!!!!! 


	5. Hurt

Author's Note-Thanks for all these reviews!  
  
Quistis sat on her bed, still holding the beeping phone in her hand. She looked at it and sighed, then placed the phone back in its cradle. _Should I tell Squall the news? She decided to tell him first because he needed to know so he could understand how badly he hurt her.  
  
Quistis got up from the bed and opened her door slowly. She locked the door to her room and walked down the hallway, passing the library and into the boys' dorms. When she got to Squall's room, she knocked lightly._

*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
After Squall had left the cafeteria and returned to his room, he had been debating whether or not to phone his ex-girlfriend to settle things out. It was a fight between Mind VS Heart. His heart had won the game and he had dialed her number only to get an answering machine. He had told her that she probably didn't want to talk to him and made an excuse to be at her friend's home. He repeatedly said he was sorry that he yelled at her even though she might never forgive him. He ended the message by saying, "….and I…I love you, Rinoa Heartilly."  
  
After calling over and over, he finally gave up. Since he didn't know Zone and Watt's phone number he had contacted the Timber Operator who put him through. Unfortunately, the line had been busy there so he had slammed the phone down in frustration. He was about to dial again when a light knock interrupted him.  
  
"Who is it?" Squall said coldly. 

"..It's me...Quistis. I have something important to tell you," Quistis's voice came from the other side of the door.  
  
"Tell me later, Quistis. I'm busy," Squall replied. 

"No, you'll hear it now. I think you want to hear about it. It's about......Rinoa," she quietly said.  
  
A pause was heard from the other side of the door and then footsteps slowly approached. The door opened slightly and Quistis was met with a pair of uncaring blue eyes.  
  
"Well?" Squall said. 

Quistis smiled and said, "Well, aren't you going to let me in?" Squall nodded and opened the door so his instructor could come in. 

"I know that it's none of my business....but I phoned Zone and Watts....Rinoa was there and I had a talk with her. She said that you hurt her a lot and she isn't ready to be with you. Actually, she seemed like she missed you a lot, but she didn't admit it, just like you. She hung up on me then after telling—um, she hung up me," Quistis finished, remembering her promise.

  
Squall just kept staring at Quistis, his face becoming stonier and his eyes becoming colder. Quistis could tell he was hurt and angry at what was just said. He seemed to expect Quistis to keep talking. "And....that's it," Quistis confirmed.  
  
Squall looked down at the floor. "Get out," he said quietly. 

"Squall, I'm just trying to help. I'm sorry...." Quistis said.  
  
Squall stood up, "I said get out! I told you it's none of your business! It's over between Rinoa and me! What is it with you? Get the hell out of here and leave me alone!" Squall hissed.  
  
Quistis could see the small tears forming on his eyes. She nodded and was about to exit when she turned around and said, "I'm sorry," one last time. His eyes looked up at her with a mix of anguish and pleading. Quistis sighed and went out the door.  
  
She was about to walk away from the closed door when she heard something muffled. She leaned her ears to the door. She knew she shouldn't be eavesdropping, but she had to know what was happening. She couldn't believe what she heard.  
  
  
  
  
_  
Squall was crying._  
  
  
  
Author's Note-Woah! The big strong dude is crying! Hehe....reviews!!! 


	6. That's What Friends Are For

Author's Note-Oh..my...GOSH!! Squall is crying??? Wowiez! Thanks for the reviews guys! 

  
Quistis opened her mouth in surprise. She still couldn't believe that right across the thick, wooden door, the cold-hearted commander, Squall Leonhart was breaking down into emotional sobs_. Man, he needs her now_, she thought. Not knowing what to do, she walked away from Squall. It made her feel horrible, but she had no other choice.  
  
She walked absentmindedly around the school and found herself walking into the cafeteria. Selphie, Irvine, and Zell were still there, chatting away and laughing at each other's jokes. When they saw the troubled instructor walking towards them, they stopped talking immediately and let her sit down.  
  
Zell moved aside from his seat and took another seat next to Selphie. He picked up his hotdog and started munching on it like he had been before Quistis had entered. Quistis looked at him and glared.

"What? What did I do?" Zell asked. Selphie giggled and took the hotdog away from the martial artist's hands. Zell muttered an, "Oh," and looked at Quistis.  
  
"So...what's going on?" Selphie asked. Quistis sighed.

 "Well, how do I put this so it won't get too personal? Hmm.....well, the only thing I'm going to say is that Rinoa misses Squall, but wants him to apologize and make it up to her, I guess, and Squall probably won't and he's mad at me for getting in his personal life, and-"  
  
Selphie held a hand up to quiet the non-stop-talking-like-a-crazed- psycho blonde. "Ok, I think I got the picture. Rinoa and Squall still love each other like crazy, but neither will admit it?" Selphie simply said. Quistis blushed.

 "Uh, yeah, just about it."  
  
Selphie looked thoughtful for a moment and her face lit up as she turned away from Zell and Quistis and whispered something to Irvine. Irvine's face curved into one huge smile and he nodded excitedly in agreement. They both looked mischievously at the two curious blondes. 

"May I?" Irvine asked Selphie. Selphie nodded and he grinned. "Selphie has got a plan that will get these two hyenas back together! I think we should try it out!" Irvine exclaimed.  
  
Quistis narrowed her eyes and him and said, "Well? What's the plan?" Irvine looked around the cafeteria to see that no one was watching, then he motioned for the group to huddle up so he could give them the plan. After hearing the plan, Quistis gave her friends an odd look. "Um…thanks guys, but I don't think it's fool-proof…" Selphie pouted, her dazzling green eyes shimmering.

"Quisty! Squall and Rinny really need each other! If you were truly their friend, then you'd do something even as crazy as this just to see them happy!" Quistis smiled slightly and then nodded.

"You're right, but I'll need more than just me to complete the whole thing!" she said.

  
"Quistis, Quistis, Quistis!" Selphie said. She grabbed both boys by the shoulders and slipped her arms around them. They each grinned at her widely, begging her. "Come on, Quisty! He's our friend, too," Selphie said.  
  
Quistis finally gave up and said, "Alright, but if any of you guys are caught, remember that this was not my plan!" she said, giggling. "But thanks, guys, I couldn't do this without ya'll," she said gratefully.  
  
"Hey, that's what friends are for!" Selphie cheered before giving her best friend a hug.  
  
Author's Note-Ok, sorry if this is kinda crummy. I had to type fast yet again because I have to go to piano like NOW! Reviews guys! Ashbear actually reviewed me! Wowiez! 


	7. New Mission

Author's Note-I apologize a million times for not writing in the past 3 or 4 days! Please forgive me, guys! I have Karate on Monday, Piano on Tuesday, Karate on Wednesday, and bunches of homework on Thursday and Friday. I'm going to make it up to you guys, though. I promise to have at least 4 chapters by Tuesday! Thanks for all the encouragement; I really do hope I'll be one of those super authors someday! :)  
  
"Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, bee-". A strong hand slammed down on the alarm button. Squall opened his eyes. He sat up on his bed on stared at the plain white wall. Grumbling, he stood up and made his way to the bathroom. He checked his reflection in the mirror. There were tiny baggy rings forming under his eyes and the whites were turning red. He sighed. Everything just wasn't working right ever since she had left.  
  
He decided to freshen himself up and take a shower when a muffled voice on the PA come on. "Commander Squall Leonhart, please report to Headmaster Cid's office immediately," Xu's voice rang over the PA.  
  
Squall grumbled again. He took a quick shower and dressed in his SeeD uniform. He opened his door and walked out into the hallway towards the main elevator. A group of giggling girls passed by him. He saluted each of them.  
  
"OH...MY GOSH! Did you see that, Shawlie? He actually noticed me! Do you think he's interested in me?" one of the girls said. 

"No way, Katesyth! As if any cadet MAJOR would be interested in YOU!" another girl responded, possibly being Shawlie.  
  
Squall rolled his eyes and continued walking on his way to the elevator. He climbed onto the elevator and pressed 3F. A moment later, there was a ding, confirming that Squall was on the third floor. The doors slid open, revealing the Asian secretary standing next to a short, bald man with thick glasses and beady eyes.  
  
The Headmaster motioned for Squall to come in. Squall walked in front of the Headmaster and stood still, his blue eyes remaining careless. The Headmaster stood up and paced back and forth. 

"Squall, I know it's only been a week since your last mission and I am very grateful for your hard work, but I'm sorry. You have yet another mission to go on," Cid said.  
  
Squall nodded. "So, where is the destination?" The Headmaster seemed to have forgotten, but only for a second before looking back at Squall. 

"Your destination is Timber. You are to investigate the town. There have been some killings around the place and the President there wants to have a professional SeeD, which is you, do this mission and solve the crime so the town will return to peace," the Headmaster concluded.  
  
Squall nodded."I have one favor to ask you, Headmaster. May I please bring Instructor Quistis Trepe with me? I will need to use her because she knows a lot about the city of Timber since she and Rinny, I mean Miss Heartilly were friends, "Squall said, hesitating when he said Rinoa's name.  
  
"Ah, yes, Quistis. I'm sorry, Squall, she went to help Selphie buy some, now what did she tell me? Oh, yes, "retro" clothes for her concert in the Quad in the city of Deling. Also, your other comrades, Zell and Irvine went to Dollet to buy some items to upgrade their weapons. Both of them won't be back until tomorrow and you have to leave for the mission today in approximately 1600 hours. Start packing, Commander Leonhart," Cid said.  
  
Squall nodded for the third time and walked out of the office after hearing the Headmaster wish him good luck. As the doors of the elevator closed in front of him, Squall slumped down on the floor.  
  
  
  
_Timber....._  
  
  
  
Author's Note-Another mission? Geez, poor Squall! Oh well, please send me your reviews! 


	8. Dream

Author's Note-I have got to say I am very impressed with some of you guys! You catch up FAST! I mean really really fast! Hehe...what will happen in Timber you ask? You're just about to find out in this chapter!  
  
As Squall packed away some of his belongings for the train ride to Timber, his eye caught on to a piece of paper jutting out of the mattress.  
  
He tugged on the paper and it loosely fell onto the ground. Hesitating, he slowly picked it up. He turned the white side around, the other side revealing a photo of Rinoa and him. He couldn't believe he was smiling, even though it was a little. It was hard for him to ever smile. He sighed. "Why am I even going to Timber?" he asked himself.  
  
Sighing again, he opened the door and quietly shut it. As he walked to the parking lot, his thoughts drifted to Rinoa.  
  
I can't stop thinking about her.....  
  
Seeing that he had reached the parking lot, he reached for the door and opened it. He slipped into the car and drove away from the school to the train station.  
  
When he finally arrived at the station, he gave the ticket to the woman by the train and boarded it. He sat down next to the window, hoping the beautiful landscapes would help him forget about her.  
  
As the train started, the sky and ground blended quickly together, making Squall dizzy. The two colors together slowly formed a picture of Rinoa.  
  
Squall turned away from the window and decided to close his eyes for a quick nap. In his dream, Rinoa was running around the flower field, giggling and laughing. She picked up a dozen flowers and plucked off the petals. As they floated away from her, her smile widened. She laughed again and started rolling on the floor, just like a child. It made Squall happy to see her so happy. It made him want to roll alongside her, even though he knew he was supposed to be serious.  
  
"Come on, Squall! I'm waiting!" Rinoa said to him.  
  
  
  
_I'm waiting....  
  
I'm...waiting?  
_  
  
  
Rinoa's small hands reached out to him, beckoning him to join her. Her almond eyes were pleading with him, puppy eyes. That's what he hated so much about her. She could make him do anything nobody else could ever do. She could make him fall off a bridge with her, swim the deepest ocean, take risks.  
  
"Squall? Please play with me. It makes me sad when you don't play with me," Rinoa said.  
  
That's what he also hated about her. He hated the way he didn't hate her for her childish self.  
  
"Please? Please, please, please, please? With a humongous cherry on top?" Rinoa asked.  
  
"...Ok, but don't tell anyone," Squall said. Rinoa giggled and patted a spot next to her. He sat down next to her. He noticed her hands were behind her back.  
  
"What do you have in your hands?" Squall asked suspiciously. 

"What? Me? Nothing!" Rinoa said innocently.  
  
Suddenly, her hands were in front of her, about to reveal what she had closed inside her fists. Her hands flew open, and colorful flower petals filled the air, surprising Squall. Rinoa giggled as the petals covered Squall's body, making him look odd.  
  
"Now you're going to get it!" Squall playfully said to her as she screamed and ran away from him. He grabbed a bunch of flowers and ran after her. Unfortunately for Rinoa, he caught up quickly. The flower petals lightly decorated her hair. She giggled. He loved her for everything. She was his everything.  
  
_I.....  
  
I'll be waiting...  
  
For you......  
  
Promise.  
  
I...promise.....  
_  
Squall suddenly woke up from his dream. It had felt so real. To be with her, it felt like he was a child again. His lonely heart didn't seem to be there. His coldness was gone, she was the sun and he was the snow, slowly melting.  
  
But now that her mere presence wasn't there, the snow came back again. It hardened, leaving him careless and unemotional.  
  
  
  
Author's Note-hehe..tell me if it was freaky or interesting! reviews! :) 


	9. Too Familiar

Author's Note-Sorry I haven't written in sooo long! Someone kept on deleting this chapter, so I couldn't update the story.  
  
_Choo...Choo..._Squall sighed with relief as the train came to a stop. 

"Greetings ladies and gentlemen! We are now at the Timber Station! If you are leaving the train, please go through the doors on the right side, not the left! Thank you and we hope you enjoyed ChocoTrains!" a male voice cheerfully said.  
  
Squall stood up and opened his compartment. He pulled out his suitcases and headed out the right side of the train. He was greeted by a stewardess who bid him farewell. He nodded back at her and walked onto the platform. He looked around the train station, hoping to find car rental. After minutes of searching, he slumped down on a bench, a look of defeat on his face. He hung his head low and stared the ground, hoping a miracle would happen. Suddenly, a pair of light brown leather boots appeared in front of his face. He looked up to see who it was. 

"Howdy there, stranger! I've never seen ya around here before!" the girl said. She was wearing a light brown cowgirl hat and a brown trench coat with a black belt. She also wore blue denim bellbottoms. She had straight brunette hair that was shoulder-length and dazzling green eyes.

"Selphie?"  
  
"…NOOOOO! I mean…nope! Name's Selvia! You look lost! Ya need a ride?" Selvia asked eagerly. 

"Yeah…sure. Do you know where the Timber Hotel is?" Squall asked. "Yep! I have a friend that works there! Her name's Quin! She has light reddish kinda hair and blue eyes. She works at the front desk, you'll notice her immediately," Selvia said.  
  
"Ok, I could use the ride," Squall said. Before he could say anything else, Selvia grabbed his hand and dragged him to her car. When they got to the parking lot, Squall looked at the car in disgust. It was a beat-up, rusty light blue car. He walked over to the trunk and examined the license plate. It said, "GIDDY UP!". Squall felt like he was going to hurl. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot! What's your name?" Selvia asked.  
  
"S-Squall," he replied. After putting his belongings in the trunk, he walked over to the passenger side door. Hesitating, he opened the door timidly and slowly slipped into the seat. He observed the inside of the car. It smelt like cow manure, there was a bubble gum air freshener, and there was a cow doll on the dashboard.  
  
He reached for the door and slammed it into place. He watched in amusement as pieces of paint fell to the ground. "Nice car," he said sarcastically. "Thanks! Got it from my dad!" she said cheerfully, misunderstanding his sarcasm. _Seems like she got one real cheap dad_, he thought to himself.  
  
Halfway to the hotel, Selvia cheerfully chatted to Squall, and all of a sudden she yelled, "Let's listen to some music!" 

"No, that's o-"Before Squall could finish his sentence, Selvia's hand pushed a small black button and country music started playing. Worse, Selvia started to sing along in her country accent, her singing way off-key.  
  
"AND YA PROMISED TA ME! YES YUR DID! YESIREE! I LOVED YOU SOOOOOOOO!!!!! LALALALALA...."she continued. Squall plugged his ears and growled at her silently.  
  
Ten minutes later, he saw a huge building with lights in every window, looming ahead. A huge sign read in capital letters "TIMBER HOTEL".

"Selvia! Selvia stop!" he yelled to the still singing cowgirl. The old car screeched to a stop, almost completely missing the building. "Well, here's Timber Hotel! If ya ever need anything, go to the local coffee shop around the block! See ya later!" she cheered, and then continued to sing. He yelled good-bye to her and grabbed his suitcases out of the trunk. He ran to the entrance and sighed. Then he pushed the double glass doors and followed the long red carpet to the front desk.  
  
A young girl with blue eyes and reddish blondish hair saw him and greeted him. "Hello. How may I assist you?" the girl asked. "Quistis," Squall whispered. 

"Huh?"  

"N-nothing. You just look like someone I know," Squall muttered.

 "That's ok! Well, how may I help you?" the girl repeated.

 "Oh, uh..your friend, Selvia dropped me off here, do you have an open room?" Squall asked.  
  
"Huh? Selvia? Oh yes! Selvia! Hold on, Mr. Leonhart! Let me check if any spaces are open," the girl replied. "Oh yeah! Where are my manners? My name is Quin Triene!" Quin said.

"Hey, wait a minute. How did you know my name?" Squall asked suspiciously. Quin seemed to grow pale, but she plastered a smile on her face.

"Selvia called me earlier! She told me she was at the train station and was picking up a Mr. Leonhart!" Quin started to sweat lightly.

"….." Squall just stared at her, disbelief clearly visible on his face.  
  
_She looks very familiar...I just can't put my finger on it,_ Squall thought to himself. The reddish blondish hair was wavy as it flowed like a waterfall down a little past her shoulders. She had striking light blue eyes and pale skin that glowed with radiance and grace. He decided to let it pass and waited patiently for Quin to give him his room key.  
  
The blonde woman coughed lightly. "Ok, Mr. Leonhart! You are very lucky! Room 678, 3rd Floor up the elevator, three doors down to your right," Quin said cheerily.  
  
She handed him the large metal key and he grabbed it from her hand. Then he found the elevator and followed Quin's instructions. When she was out of his view, he recalled how she looked oddly familiar. Her mysterious light blue eyes, her blonde hair, and her pale skin.  
  
"This is just too weird," Squall muttered to himself.  
  
Author's Note-Reviews! 


	10. A Memory

Author's Note-Ok, me back! ^-^ Please don't stop reviewing me! I'll try to update ASAP!  
  
Quistis's eyes followed the confused brown-haired man and waited for the elevator doors to close. After the doors closed, she quickly rose from her chair and raced out the door. She hurried to the parking lot and slipped into her car, glad that no one had seen her.  
  
She shoved the car key into the ignition and waited for the engine to start. When she heard a low rumble and the soft shaking of the car, she shifted her gear and drove out of the hotel parking lot. She checked her wristwatch. "4:30pm," she said to herself. "Damn I'm going to be late for the meeting!" she cursed.  
  
"You sure are," a male voice said from the back of the car.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
Selphie patiently waited in the small room. She was at the top room above the coffee shop. "Where is everyone?" she questioned. The phone rang. Selphie immediately ran over to the phone and frantically picked it up. "Hello?" she asked.

 "Hey, Sefie! It's me, 'Irnie'," the male voice said. Selphie sighed with relief. 

"Hey cowboy. So, what's taking you so long?" Selphie asked, beginning to feel worried.  
  
"Nothing, just checking out that hottie over there," he jokingly said. Selphie ignored the sharpshooter's comment. 

"So, where are you?" she asked.  
  
"I'm stuck in this huge traffic jam. I think I'll be there in like 30 minutes. Just wanted to let you know," he replied. 

"Ok then, Quistis hasn't arrived either, and I'm starting to feel VERY lonely, Irvy. Come ASAP, k?" she said.  
  
"Ok, Selph," he said. Selphie replaced the phone in its cradle and wondered what to do.

 "Maybe I should call Quisty and ask her what's going on," she said to herself. A little company would make her feel better in the small room. She picked the phone up again and dialed Quistis's cell phone. Selphie let it ring ten times before sighing and giving up.  
  
She sat back down on her twin-sized bed in the corner of the room. The room reminded her of her own room when she was a little girl at the orphanage.  
  


_flashback_

  
"Cough, cough, ack!" little Selphie said. She had the flu and was stuck in bed for a whole day while the other kids had gone outside and played. "They left me behind," she whispered. She really had wanted to play that day because it was her birthday and she wanted to celebrate with her friends. A small tear trickled down her cheek and she sighed. She turned her body over to the wall and concentrated on sleeping.  
  
She heard the wooden door open and close quietly. Selphie turned over to face the intruder. "Hey," the boy said.  
  
Selphie's smile brightened a little at seeing the shy boy. "Hey, Squall. Why aren't you playing with the others?" Selphie asked.  
  
"Cause it's your birthday," Squall said. Selphie grinned at the boy and patted a spot next to her on the bed. Squall walked over to the sick girl and sat down on the bed.  
  
He shyly gave her a small package that said Happy Birthday, Selphie. "Thanks, Squall!" Selphie cheerfully said.  
  
She took the box from Squall's hands and carefully unwrapped the box. When all the tissue had been taken off, there was a shiny golden box that said, "To Selphie Tilmitt, hope yoo feel extwa better,". Selphie smiled and slowly opened the box. It was a charm bracelet.  
  
Selphie eagerly looked at each symbol. A heart, the sun, her name, nunchackus, a smile, and a golden ring that said, "Smile". Selphie placed the gift aside and leaned forward to give the boy a huge hug. She could feel his body stiffen and then reluctantly relax as he gave in to the embrace and patted her back awkwardly. After a couple of seconds, he gently pried her iron grip from himself.  
  
"Oh yeah, here," he said. He rummaged through his pocket and took out an orange peel. "You're supposed to stick it in your sock. For good luck," he said.  
  
Selphie smiled and took the orange peel from him. She shoved it inside her sock. "Thanks," she said. He smiled slightly and said, "Happy Birthday," before leaving the room.

_End flashback_  
  
Selphie's eyes opened up after remembering the happy memory. She smiled. "Squall did me a favor, and now it's my turn to return it," she said. "Just after this meeting," she mumbled.  
  
Author's Note-REVIEWS!!!! 


	11. Trouble

Author's Note-Keep reviewing guys!

  
  
Quistis gasped and slammed on the brakes. She swerved the car to the right and parked it by a ditch. She turned her head around. "YOU!" she angrily said.  
  
"In the flesh, dear Instructor," the blonde man said.

 "What the hell are you doing in my car? In fact, what are you even doing here?" she asked.  
  
"Is that any way to treat a fellow student?" he asked sneering maliciously.

"Listen up, Seifer. I'll make this very easy. Get out or get hurt," Quistis said to the grinning man.  
  
"You know what? I happen to know what you're up to, you naughty girl." Seifer smirked. Quistis sighed. 

"What do you want?" she asked. 

"Hmm.....I want to have a lot of things, Instructor," he said sarcastically. 

"Just tell me," Quistis said, starting to get annoyed by his presence.  
  
Seifer looked thoughtful for a moment, " I want to be a SeeD. Pass me and we have a deal," he said softly. Quistis was shocked. 

"Seifer, out of all the things in the world, you want to be a SeeD? Is this a trick?" she asked, bemused. Seifer nodded his head. "Well, the only way you'll become a SeeD is the hard way, mister. Try your best like everyone else and you just might make it. Don't leave your team behind and walk ahead, like when you left your squad behind last year," she said. She stared at him for what seemed like a life-time before he finally spoke.  
  
"So?" he said simply. "Ugh," Quistis said disgustedly. She went out of the car and opened the back door. She dragged Seifer out by the ear. 

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Geez! Get your claws off of me, Trepe!" Seifer snarled. Quistis ignored the man and let go off his ear, glaring at him with her icy blue orbs. 

"Seifer, you are the sorriest person I have EVER known. Get a damn life! Man, I used to pity myself, but this is more competition than I can handle!" she said to the stunned man in the grey trench coat.  
  
She rolled her eyes and walked back to the driver's side of the car. "You have always wasted my time as always, Seifer Almasy. I have important things to do," she said. She slipped back into her seat and drove off, leaving the hurt blonde man behind.  
  
Seifer growled at the fading car. Then an evil smirk traced his lips. "Well, looks like her plans are going to be spoiled," he said.  
  
  
  
Author's Note-Uh oh! What is Seifer up to? Find out in the next chapter! Just review and I'll update! 


	12. Song

Author's Note-Please review ASAP! I know that chapter 11 was real short, so I'll try to make it up.

  
  
"Hmmm...hm hm hm hm," Rinoa hummed to herself. "No," she said and crumpled up the white sheet of paper. She threw it into the already large pile of papers that she had rejected. "Nothing's good," she muttered.  
  
She stood up and walked over to the pile. She randomly took one out and opened it. "Broken hearts, broken dreams, everything is what it seems. I can't even write a good song. Squall's right. I'm a worthless fool," she sadly said to herself.  
  
She felt completely hopeless, worthless, and weak for some reason. " I need him," she admitted. She sighed and walked backed to her chair. She slumped down on the seat, wondering what to do. The door creaked open and Zone walked inside.

 "How's the princess doing?" he asked.  
  
"Awful, just awful," she said. Zone walked over to the hopeless girl. "I made some cocoa for you," he said, offering the steaming cup of cocoa to the raven-haired girl. 

"No thanks," she said.

 "But, you LOVE cocoa!" Zone protested. 

"I just don't have an appetite anymore," she replied.  
  
Zone placed the cup on the desk. "Well, if you ever need a break, it'll be there for you," he said. Rinoa nodded and took out another clean sheet of paper. She started writing and rewriting, scratching words she didn't like and angrily crumpling it up and throwing it away.  
  
"What are you doing?" Zone questioned.

 "Oh, I'm just trying, but failing to write a song to someone who broke my heart a few weeks ago. I promised myself that this would be the first song I'd ever write so he'd know the pain he put me through," she said.  
  
Zone nodded and kneeled down next to the tired girl. " Well, do I happen to know this young lad who broke the princess's heart?" he asked innocently. Rinoa laughed bitterly. "Yeah, you do. Remember those SeeDs that came here for the mission? The commander?" she asked. Zone nodded. "Well, that's who," she said coldly. 

"Ah, I know how you feel. I once was rejected by a lover. Why don't you write what you feel? Not just rhymes and lyrics that you make-up just because you can't think of anything else. Write from the heart. Sing from the heart," he said.  
  
Rinoa looked at the man and smiled for the first time in weeks. "I miss that smile," Zone said. He stood up and kissed Rinoa on the forehead. 

"Goodnight, Zone," Rinoa said. Zone waved good-bye to the smiling girl and closed the door behind him.  
  
Rinoa closed her eyes and concentrated on her feelings about Squall. "I still love you, but you broke my heart. That's how I feel," she told herself.  
  
In minutes, she began writing eagerly. Hours later, her song was finished. She looked with contentment at the song and sighed, re-reading it again:

_A dance of a lifetime_

_A dance of a dream_

_We spin for eternity_

_As shooting stars gleam_

_I knew in that moment_

_That my life had its cause_

_To make this cold lion_

_See the beauty of all_

_And in one tense moment_

_When harshness was bared_

_We fell from our dance_

_And we learned not to care_

_Our bond, it was broken_

_But with time it will heal_

_The strength of our hearts_

_Is called love, and it's real_

She frowned a little. "It seems more like a poem than a song…" But she liked it, so she posted it up on her wall and decided to try yet again for another better song. After a while, she re-read the new song and grinned. This was the one:

_Quietly awakening..._

_I always, always wish_

_that__ these fleeting thoughts_

_would__ reach you..._

_Unable to move forward across "just a little more" distance_

_The way I see before me is always blocked_

_Every time the days I want to see you but can't pile up,_

_My strong heartbeat turns into heartbreak._

_If there is such a thing as "eternity,"_

_I want to believe, even if I have to take the long way._

_Although I know that I've been hurt before because I'm clumsy_

_I won't stop; I won't give in to anyone._

_I think of you_

_and__ that alone is enough_

_to__ make the tears start to flow now_

_I always, always wish_

_that__ these fleeting thoughts_

_would__ reach you..._

_I've known all too well about pretending to be strong._

_But since then, my doubts have vanished._

_There's__ definitely things I want to show you_

_And so many words I want to hear_

_I want to see all sides of you, when you laugh and cry_

_So I'll stop waiting_

_and__ seize my "chance."_

_I think of you,_

_and__ I feel like that alone is enough_

_to__ make my heart grow stronger._

_I always, always wish_

_that__ these fleeting thoughts_

_would__ reach you..._

_Believe.   la la   la la   la la..._

_Believe.   la la   la la   la la..._

_Believe.   la la   la la   la la..._

Then she went to her bed and pulled the covers over her body. She fell asleep, happy that she had finished her first song.  
  
Author's Note-Yay! Rinny made a song! Oh by the way, I made that rhyme up, and I'm sorry if you think it's crappy! ^^; And the second song is the English translated version of "My Will" from Inuyasha! I don't own it! ^_^


	13. Good and Bad

Author's Note-Sorry I haven't written! I couldn't go online for like a week because my mom didn't want me to go on fanfiction.net! hehe...  
  
Squall dropped his suitcases and swiped the keycard through the slit of his door. As the door slowly opened, his eyes bulged and his mouth hung open. 

"Wow," was all he could say. It was a huge fancy room. The walls were a deep shade of red and on one side there was a vast painting of a flower field with a gazebo. There was a king-sized bed with huge plush pillows and a canopy on the top. A clear curtain hung from the canopy's edges. There was also a huge Victorian-styled bathroom. The sinks were made of marble and the faucets were made with gold.  
  
Squall jumped on the bed and sighed exhaustedly. Who knew this type of stuff existed in the peaceful town of Timber?

*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  


"Hi? Hello? Um...can I get everybody's attention?" Rinoa asked. She was at The Pub on the stage, preparing to sing her song, but not a single person in the audience was listening to her. Last night, she had told Zone and Watts that she wanted to start her singing career by singing at The Pub. So here she was, and suddenly she felt like it wasn't worth it.  
  
She sighed and patiently waited. A waitress climbed up the short flight of stairs and stood next to Rinoa. "SHUT UP EVERYBODY! GEEZ! THE POOR GIRL WANTS TO SING A SONG SO SHADDAP!" the waitress yelled over the microphone.  
  
Silence. "Uh...thanks," Rinoa said. 

"Anytime," the waitress said and walked back down the stairs. 

"Hi everyone. My name is Rinoa Heartilly. I…uh...I want to sing a song to you guys. It's, uh, it's a piece that my mom, Julia, she wrote this song. It's called Eyes On Me," she said.  
  
Light clapping was heard. Rinoa breathed in a deep breath of air. She was suddenly embarrassed_. Why am I doing_ _this? she suddenly asked herself.  
  
The music began. "Too late to turn back now," she said to herself. "Come on, you can do this," she encouraged herself.  
  
"Whenever sang my songs," she sung hesitantly. "On the stage, on my own." She felt a little better as she continued to sing the song. "Whenever said my words, wishing they, would be heard," she sang a little louder, her voice proud and strong. She felt her mother's soul inside of her and sang with her heart. "I saw you smiling at me, was it real or just my fantasy?" More eyes began to look up in interest as the raven-haired beauty continued her song. "You'd always be there in the corner of this tiny, little bar…"  
  
_My last night here for you  
  
Same old songs, just once more  
  
My last night here with you  
  
Maybe yes maybe no  
  
I kind of liked it your way  
  
How you shyly placed your eyes on me  
  
But did you ever know  
  
That I had mine on you?  
  
Darling so there you are  
  
With that look on your face  
  
As if you're never hurt  
  
As if you're never down  
  
Shall I be the one for you  
  
Who pinches you softly but sure  
  
If frown is shown then  
  
I will know that  
  
You are no dreamer.....__

_So let me come to you_

_Close as I want to be_

_Close enough for me_

_To feel your heart beating fast_

_And stay there as I whisper_

_How I loved your peaceful eyes on me_

_Did you ever know_

_That I had mine on you?___

_Darling so share with me_

_Your love if you have enough_

_Your tears if you're holding back_

_Or pain if that's what it is_

_How can I let you know_

_I'm more than the dress and the voice?_

_Just reach me out then_

_You will know that you are not dreaming  
  
_

_Darling so there you are  
  
With that look on your face  
  
As if you're never hurt  
  
As if you're never down  
  
Shall I be the one for you  
  
Who pinches you softly but sure  
  
If frown is shown then  
  
I will know that  
  
You are no dreamer....._

_  
  
_  
As she finished her song, she sighed with relief. The audience stood up and clapped loudly. Rinoa bowed. She smiled slightly when she saw a woman crying silently. "Not bad, not bad at all," she said to herself.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*~~  
  
"Hmmm…weird I just now noticed this?" Squall angrily said to himself. "If there were killings here, why hasn't the president contacted me or something? Cid would have called...hmm...there is something strange about Quin and Selvia...." he muttered.  
  
Suddenly, his anger turned into pure rage. "How stupid can I be (A/N-apparently….very)?! God dammit it's Quistis and Selphie!!! They're probably trying to get us back together. Heh," he said coldly. "It isn't going to work, anyways. I don't love her anymore," he muttered, though his heart spoke otherwise.  
  
His phone rang suddenly and Squall lunged at it. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it's the president," he said, even though he was almost sure it wasn't. 

"Hi, Commando Puberty Boy!" a cheery male voice said. 

"Seifer….?! How did you know where I was?" Squall asked.  
  
"Let's just say a blonde left your number in the car and while she was looking away from me I snatched it." Seifer chuckled and Squall could almost picture his feral sneer. Squall's eyes narrowed. Seifer continued "Look, I'm not calling to start another war. I have some news for you.....it's about Rinoa...she really is a slut!"  
  
  
  
Author's Note-REVIEWS!!!! I am a huge Seifer fan, but drastic sacrifices must be made! I know he's sounding like a total jerk, but he's the evildoer in this story!


	14. Unexpected

Author's Note-You guys are probably ready to kill me! I'm sooooo sorry for not updating these few weeks! My sister was using the internet for her English and French project. Well, now that I'm back, please keep reviewing me! 

  
  
Selphie was still lying down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling and counting the tiles and how many times she heard a creaking sound. "I'm going to kill them all," she muttered. Suddenly she heard the wooden stairs creaking and the door opened.  
  
Selphie gasped when she saw who it was. "You're coming with me," the tall figure said. A gloved hand went over Selphie's mouth and her screams were never heard. She stomped on the figure's foot and tried to run out, but the man grabbed her by the wrist. Selphie screamed again and yanked as hard as she could. Unfortunately for her rear, the man let go and she fell, yanking off the man's coat in the process. Immediately, she stumbled towards the other side of the room where her Strange Vision waited. 

"Just a little further!" she muttered to herself. She grabbed the faithful weapon and went into a defensive position.  Seifer snarled menacingly and drew out Hyperion, smirking.

"You bastard. What do you want anyway?" Selphie yelled from her side of the small room. " Waterga!"  Seifer received a full blast of the elemental attack and stumbled back a little before regaining his balance.

"You'll find out soon enough, even though it's really none of your business, Messenger Girl," Seifer sneered, attacking her physically with his gunblade and pulling the trigger. Selphie's eyes widened and she tried to dodge the attack. She bit back a scream as the blade met her right arm and the bullet came in contact soon afterwards. Fortunately, she had dodged far enough for Seifer to miss her vital organs. Wincing, she cast Curaga on herself, inhaling deeply as the white magic sealed her deep gash. 

"Aura!" Seifer yelled. His form turned golden and he gave Selphie a mock salute. "This ends now, Tilmitt. Blood Fest!" Before Selphie could understand what was going on, Seifer's most powerful limit break wreaked havoc upon her and she collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. 

Through heavy lids, Selphie waited until she could recover from the dizzy spell. Her turn came up and she could use Slots now. Coming across Rapture or The End was slim to none, so she would have to settle for a Full-cure or an Ultima perhaps. Seifer snarled at his adversary and slowly started to approach the panicked brunette.

Selphie could hear his footsteps slowly approaching her and she knew that if she didn't do something, she'd be KO'd pretty soon. "C'mon..c'mon…yes! Ultima!" 

"I think not." The sound of sharp metal and a loud bang as the trigger was pulled echoed throughout the room, and then all was silent.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"She really is a slut, dude!" Seifer said. Squall's eyes widened. 

Suddenly he turned angry," You are lying, Almasy. It's all a joke to you. Leave me alone," Squall said coldly. He slammed the phone down on the cradle and continued pacing back and forth on the floor.  
  
  
"Well, that went well," Seifer said, satisfied with his work. He turned back over to the girl in the yellow sundress, blindfolded and unconscious. Seifer snickered. "My plan is going just the way I want it to," he said. "Now all I have to do is find Rinoa...."

*~*~*~*~*  
  
Zell hurried up the stairs in the coffee shop. He barged into the small room. "I'm sorry I'm late, Selphie! I didn't notice the time and I was at-" he stopped as he saw that no one was in the room. "Selphie?" Zell said softly. His eyes widened when he saw papers scattered everywhere and suddenly smelled the heavy scent of sweat drenching the room along with a few puddles of crimson puddles near one end of the room.

"Uh-oh..." he said. He frantically began to search the room for any clues. His eyes narrowed and he punched the ground when he found what he was looking for.  
  
There on the ground, was the grey trench coat with its unmistakable red crosses on each side. "Damn you, Seifer!"   
  
  


*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Squall needed to get out of his room and fast. He needed some fresh air, some music at the bar, some fun…he needed to go for a walk. He grabbed his leather jacket and hurried out of the palatial room.  
  
He took in the sweet smell of the air and looked up at the sky. The stars were dancing happily in the heavens and the moon was full. People were walking around and laughing, and musicians were playing in front of restaurants. Squall walked past a playing band and tossed some loose change into the jar. He kept on walking until he was in front of the coffee shop. Seeing that it was closed, he decided to see Selvia later.  
  
He then stopped in front of a bar that he recognized. The Pub. Suddenly, something flashed across the sky. It was a shooting star. He watched as the rare star flew across the sky and smiled slightly. When it was out of sight, he looked back at the pub.  
  
He could hear music going on inside and decided to go in. He took a seat next to the stage and asked for a drink from the waiter.  
  
"And now...our finale! Our final song tonight will be sung by….Ms. Rinoa Heartilly!" the announcer said. Cheers came from the audience as a slim figure walked onto the stage. She was wearing the same dress that Squall had first seen her in. She looked just as beautiful as ever.  
  
He suddenly realized that he was right at the front and staring right at her.  
  
Rinoa could sense someone staring intently at her and looked down to smile, but quickly gasped. "Squall....!?"

"Rinoa..." Squall muttered.  
  
"I..I...I..." Rinoa started. Squall shook his head, dropped the glass of wine on the floor, and hurried out of the pub.  
  
  
  
Author's Note-Reviewys! 


	15. Irvine finds out

Author's Note-Sorry I took so long! Well, it's finally updated. Continue to review please! Thanks!  
  
Quistis breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the little coffee shop coming into view. She parked the car on the side of the curb and hurried out. "Dammit! Selphie is going to kill me!" she muttered. She opened the door and slammed into a blonde man with spikes. 

"Quistis!" he yelled.  
  
The look at his face, bewildered. "Zell! Calm down! What's wrong?" she asked dreadfully. Zell continued to stare at her, shock on his face. Then he sighed and looked down. 

"Selphie got kidnapped," he mumbled.  
  
"What?!" 

"I went in the room and everything was a huge mess! But I do have a clue who kidnapped her," Zell said slowly. 

"Who?" Quistis asked, though a certain incident including a smirking blonde man answered her question. The martial artist slowly led her upstairs into the tiny room. "I knew it," Quistis whispered as she saw the grey trench coat lying there on the ground.

*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Squall sat on a bench and looked up at the sky. "Rinoa..." he said slowly. He turned his head and looked back at the pub. His ethereal, blue eyes misted over. He could feel his cold walls melting slightly. The sight of her made him just want to grab her and make her his again. He sighed. "I'm such a fool," he mumbled. 

He bent down and picked up a pink flower. How could it be so beautiful and bright when everything in his world was gloomy and dark? He slowly plucked the petals off and watched them as some fell to the ground. He noticed that only one of the petals had flown down next to him on the bench. "Heh. Alone. Just like me," he whispered.  
  
He stood up and started walking back to his hotel. As he walked towards the building, memories of Rinoa flashed through his mind. Her happy smile, her almond eyes, her laughter. He missed everything about her. "Stop it," he said coldly to himself. He shook the memories away and pushed the door of the hotel open. He looked over at the front desk and noticed that Quin was still gone. He continued trudging up the stairs and slammed the door to his room.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~

  
  
"Do you know where Irvine is?!" Quistis asked the blonde man frantically as they stumbled down the wooden stairs and into the small coffee shop. Zell shook his head vigorously and pushed open the glass door of the shop, where they stood outside in the cold on the sidewalk.

"No clue." They both looked up to the darkening sky as if hoping for a miracle. "But we better think of something quick." The martial artist's eyes widened and he pointed towards the approaching SeeD car. "Well…maybe Cid came to inform us to come back or something! Yeah, that's right! I mean, **WHAT DID WE EVER DO TO ANYONE?!** " Zell started to freak out as the SeeD car came nearer. The two blondes waited in apprehension as the car came to a stop…

  ….and the sharpshooter hopped out of the car, grinning at his nervous friends.

"**DAMN YOU HYNE!!!!"**

Irvine looked at his friend oddly, exchanging a worried look with Quistis. "….Sorry I'm late, but I'm here now. Say, what are ya'll doin outside?" Irvine asked, tipping his hat to both of his friends.  
  
Zell pushed Quistis forward. "You tell him," Zell said. 

"Tell me what?" Irvine asked, arching an auburn eyebrow. 

"Well...um...Irvine," Quistis said slowly, trying to choose her words carefully.

 "What's wrong? Hey, where's Selphie?" Irvine asked, looking around. 

"Hehe...ah...yeah...about Selphie…" Quistis said, smoothing her skirt where imaginary wrinkles were. "Selphie's...um...gone," Quistis said.

 "Huh?" Irvine asked. 

"Selphie's gone," Quistis said, more confident this time.  
  
Irvine threw back his head and laughed. "Well, guys! If she went to the donut shop to give herself a boost of energy, you don't need to act like she's going to die or something!" Irvine said. Quistis and Zell laughed nervously. 

"Irvine...you don't get it. Selphie's GONE," Quistis said, emphasizing on the word.  
  
**_"WHAT?!"_**   
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rinoa picked up her belongings backstage and walked slowly down the stairs. She waved good-bye to the owner and left the pub. She sighed and walked over to a bench. She sat down and looked up at the stars and sighed. 

"Squall...what are you doing here?" she asked. When no answer came, she sniffled and wiped away a tiny tear drop. She stared at the stars for a moment of pure silence. A slight chill came and Rinoa shivered, feeling very alone in the world.

She absently picked up an orange flower on the ground and observed the delicate petals. One by one, she plucked them. "He loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he...loves...me..." she said softly as the last petal landed on the bench next to another pink petal.  
  
  
  
Author's Note-Ok! There's the chap! Please review! Thanks!


	16. Escape

When Squall was in his room, he saw a note lying on his desk. He picked it up and read the words scribbled in familiar handwriting.  
  
_Puberty Boy,_

_Listen up. I'm telling you, I don't want to start another war. I'm telling you the truth. Rinoa is a slut! I have a tape of her and me going at it. BIG TIME. After we were done, she told me she was still with you, which shocked me. I'm going to send you the tape so you'll believe me. Also, Selphie taped it. That's right. Your good ol friend, Messenger Girl. Expect the tape in a couple of days.  
  
Seifer Almasy_  
  
  
  
Squall growled and ripped the letter up into pieces. He didn't want to believe Seifer. There was only one way to find out.

~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
  
"Fisherman's Horizon," Selphie muttered. "How am I going to get outta here? Man! Seifer always ruins everything!" she yelled. She observed the room again, looking for something helpful. "Hmm..oh look! A camcorder!" she said happily. Seeing that there was tape in it, she decided to film herself, then get the hell out of the isolated tower. "Huh?" she said confused. On a sticker were the words Rinoa and Seifer GOING AT IT on the tape.  
  
Realizing what Seifer was going to do, Selphie made a look of pure disgust. "Seifer, you bastard!" she cursed. She thought for a moment, and then she grinned and ripped off the sticker, replacing it with a new one that said Seifer by himself GOING AT IT.  
  
She giggled, turning the camcorder on. "Hey, Seifer Almasy. Selphie here. You are an ASS, buster, and also a disgusting bastard. MAN! YOU ARE ONE HELL OF A DIGUSTING BASTARD! Ych! Anyways, I'm sorry, but your stupid plans have wasted my plans and time and I must leave now. See ya!" she winked at the camera before turning it off.  
  
"That oughta show him," she said, satisfied with her work. Remembering about Seifer's plans to kidnap Rinoa and bring her back to the tower, she frowned. "Oh well. When he gets here I'll just kick his big ugly ass with my nunchakus, save the day, and voila! The plans turn back to normal," she told herself. "Now all I gotta do is find a way out..."  
  
Remembering what she saw in a movie, she decided to try it out. She ripped off some fabric from her yellow sundress. "I can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered. She peed on the ripped fabric and when it was wet enough, she wrapped it around the bars and tied it in a knot. Then she kept on twisting it until there was a gap big enough for her to slip through. "I never knew TV could save my life!" she said, giggling. She hopped out of the tower and shouted, "Nobody defeats Selphie Tilmitt!" before doing a little victory dance.  
  
Then she walked into the small town to look for supplies and a phone to tell the others she was fine, where she was, and Seifer's plans to spoil theirs.

*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN SEIFER KIDNAPPED SELPHIE?!"_ Irvine screamed hysterically in Quistis's face. "My poor baby could be tortured by that, that ASSHOLE and you're acting all CALM?!" Irvine shrieked. His hands clung to his face and he started to whimper. 

"Irvine...um...Irvine?" Quistis wiped the spit from her face with her right index finger, poking Irvine on the back. 

"WHAT?!" he yelled.  
  
"While you're worrying yourself, we could be trying to find out where Selphie is," Quistis said. 

"You're ABSOLUTELY right!" Irvine said, snapping his fingers.

 "Where could she be?" Zell wondered. "Where would Seifer be?"

 ".......FISHERMAN'S HORIZON!" Irvine yelled triumphantly. 

"Alright! Let's go!" Zell said, pumping his fist in the air.  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Note-Sorry, I had to finish this story fast, cause I have to get off the computer. Reviews, please! I'll be sure to write a longer one for the next chapter! Promise! 


	17. Kidnapped and Saved

Author's Note-I'm sorry I took so long to update the next chapter! Well, here it is!

  
  
  
  
  
  


Rinoa took out her house key and quietly shoved it into its place. As she twisted the doorknob she recalled seeing Squall again. How sad his eyes had looked. The little white twinkle in his eyes was only dimly lit that time. Why was he there? She sighed and entered her tiny home.

_Odd....._she thought. _The lights are off? I thought I left them on when I went to the pub.... Suddenly, the door slammed shut and she was left in darkness. _

"Who's there?" she asked in a scared, tiny voice. 

"Come and find me...." snickered a male voice. Her eyes widened at the familiar voice. 

"What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?" she asked, a little braver than the last time. No answer this time.

Scared stiff, she placed her hands on the wall and searched it for the light switch, careful not to bump into anything. When she finally felt something tiny jutting out, she flicked the switch on and didn't see anyone. "Where are you, Seifer?" she asked coldly this time. "I don't want to play these stupid games with you," she demanded. 

"Fine," whispered a voice behind her. The young sorceress quickly whirled around to face the smirking man, who was missing his trademark trench coat. His green eyes stared hungrily at her. Suddenly, without warning, he grabbed her shoulders and shoved her into the wall.

"Ow! Seifer! What do you think you're doing?!" Rinoa screamed in fear. "Please, don't hurt me! I didn't do anything," she whimpered. Seifer's smirk didn't fade. 

"Aw....is little wittle Rinoa scared?" he said in a menacing voice. Rinoa just stood there stiff with fear, her face as pale as the moon. 

Seifer reached out for his Hyperion and lowered it down to her neck. "Don't. Move." he said, enjoying the look on her face. Rinoa's eyes started to bulge. _No! Not again! Don't make him hurt me! Hyne, please no!_ _SQUALL!! _

The blonde man bent down to retrieve some duck tape and stood up again. He took the lethal sword away from Rinoa's neck and wrapped the tape around her mouth. 

"There's a good little girl," he chuckled. He then wrapped the tape around both of her wrists together. Then he bound her ankles together. When he was finished, she fell to the floor, trying to move. Seifer laughed evilly. He picked up the squirming girl and walked out of the house and behind a bush where he'd hidden a stolen midnight black motorcycle. He shoved her into the seat in front of him and buckled her seat belt tight. He then jumped onto the back seat and reached over her body to the handles. Starting the engine, the kidnapper and his victim escaped into the night, Seifer smiling because his plan had gone without delay.

  
  
*~*~*~**~*~*~  
  
Irvine, Quistis, and Zell climbed into the SeeD car Cid had let them drive to Fisherman's Horizon. He had been very worried that their plan to bring back Squall and Rinoa had caused a member of the team to be kidnapped. The Headmaster had immediately phoned Xu to prepare a SeeD car for a personal mission.

Irvine was shouting instructions to Quistis, who was the driver. "Alright, alright! Calm down, cowboy!" she said, patting her hand on his shoulder.

 "Calm down?! How can I calm down?!" he said, his eyes wide. Quistis sighed and turned on the engine. 

"Hey, why do I have to sit in the backseat?" Zell whined. Irvine scowled at the martial artist. Zell acted like he didn't see Irvine's glare and looked out the window, pretending to be interested at the brown plains.

"Don't worry, Irvine. Selphie can take care of herself. I'm sure she's fine."

  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  


After half an hour of searching, Selphie had finally found a payphone in front of a bookstore. She fumbled for some change and inserted some Gil into the small slot. The brunette dialed Irvine's cell phone because she knew how frantic he must be. She smiled as she imagined his bulging eyes and him running around all of Centra like a maniac. 

"Irvy, don't you know I can take care of myself?" she said. 

_"HELLO?!"_

"Oh, sorry, how long have you been there?" 

"Who is this? I've said hello for the fifth time, including this one," replied her boyfriend's voice. 

"It's me, silly! Don't you recognize my voice?" Selphie smiled. 

A couple of seconds passed and then Irvine's voice said, "Uh....no? Lemme ask Quistis, maybe you're her friend or something," he mumbled. Selphie frowned at this. 

"Boys," she muttered.

"Hello?" said a female voice. 

"Hey Quisty! Do YOU know who I am?" Selphie asked hopefully. There was a pause.

 "Selphie!!!!!" Quistis exclaimed. Selphie could tell that Quistis was so happy that she could barely let her friend's name out.

 "Who is it, Quistis?" Irvine and Zell's voice asked from the other end of the phone. She giggled as she heard two smacks and an "Ow! What did you do that for?!" from the martial artist. Then there was her name repeated again and silence. Then....

 "Irvine! Wait your turn! I'M talking to her!" came Quistis's angry scream. Then there was the sound of Irvine's hand snatching his cell phone away from Quistis .

"Hello, Selphie? My HYNE! Is is really you?" his muffled voice said.

 "Yes, Irvy, it's me," she said unhappily. 

"Eh hehe. Sorry 'bout that, Selph. It's been too long since I heard your voice, that's all!" he said. The brunette immediately cheered up and forgave the cowboy. 

"I have something else to tell you," she said to him. "And the rest of you," she added. 

"Ok, Sefie, let's hear it." Selphie told Irvine all about Seifer's plans and that he was probably kidnapping Rinoa right now. 

"I need you guys to meet me at the old railroad track at Fisherman's Horizon. I could use the help and I miss you guys," she concluded. There was an angry howl and probably questioning glances from Quistis and Zell. She heard Irvine telling her story back to them.

 "It's all my fault," Quistis said unhappily. Selphie heard Quistis telling the story about the car incident with Seifer. 

"Oh well, Quistis, that was in the past, what we have to worry about is saving Rinoa right now," Selphie said into the phone. 

"Ok then, we'll meet you at the railroad track," came Irvine's gentle voice. They hung up and Selphie went to a store to find something for Rinoa. 

  
*~*~*~*~  
  


Irvine was fiddling with his companion, Exeter, stroking it in a loving way. Zell was punching the air with his loyal Ehrgeiz and Quistis was too busy driving with her Save the Queen by her side. They soon saw Fisherman's Horizon coming into view. "Hurry up Quis! Can't this car go any faster?" Irvine said impatiently. Quistis rolled her eyes and pushed Irvine back into his seat before they ended up in a car tow home. 

She parked the car behind an old building. "So Seifer won't see it," she told her teammates. The three walked casually towards the old railroad and found Selphie walking on it. 

"SELPHIE!!!" Irvine hollered. He raced towards his girlfriend and gave her a hard squeeze. Selphie was gasping for air.

 "Quistis! (Gasp) A little (Gasp) help here please (Gasp)?" Quistis smiled and walked over to the couple and gently pulled Irvine away from Selphie.

Irvine made a pouting face, which made Selphie giggle. " Not now, Irvine, right now we need to help Rinoa," Quistis said. Selphie explained about the tower that she escaped from and where it was located. 

"It's right next to the sea," she said. 

"Hey, where's the tear on your dress?" Irvine asked slyly. Selphie gave him a playful shove. "I went to the fabric store to fix it," she said. Irvine made a playful frown, but quickly smiled and wrapped his arm around her.

"Come on, we better get going. I want to punch the lights out of that bastard," Zell said, his face growing serious. Irvine, Selphie, and Quistis nodded in agreement and headed towards the tower by the sea.

  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I have a surprise for you," Seifer yelled over the loud screaming of the engine. "Your friend, Selphie, is already at the tower and she's going to tape us naked...." he said, smiling. Rinoa's eyes widened and tears started rolling down her face. "You wanna know why? Because your stupid friend Quistis didn't pass me as a SeeD, Squall has you when I just lost you, and I just wanna have some fun and send the fucking tape to him so he'll think you're a slut," he snickered. 

Rinoa kept crying silently the whole way to the tower. He parked the vehicle behind a bush and carried Rinoa inside the tower. He climbed up the stone white steps and unlocked the door at the top. "What the hell?! Where is the messenger girl?" he growled. He closed the door and laid Rinoa on the bed. 

"Right here," came her voice. Selphie whacked her nunchakus on his head, making him growl with fury. He lunged towards her, but not before Irvine came in between them and shot Seifer in the arm.

He cried in pain and backed away into the wall. Zell walked towards him. "This is for kidnapping Selphie," he growled. He landed a punch on the blonde man's nose, making it bleed after a sickening crack was heard. "This is for hurting Rinoa," he said, trying to control his voice. He punched him hard in the stomach. Seifer gasped for air and his lungs felt they would break. "This is for trying to hurt Squall again," he said, anger slowly rising. He elbowed him the ribs. Seifer howled with pain. "And this. Is. For. Every. Stupid. Thing. You'll. Do. In. The. Future!!!" Zell screamed as anger come over him and he started punching Seifer everywhere, making Seifer howl with pain. But Seifer wasn't going to be a disgrace by yelling for mercy. Zell backed away from him. Now it was Quistis's turn.

Quistis cornered him, a barely visible sadness in her blue eyes. She seemed to be looking straight through him, searching him, trying to find out why. There was something about her that made him feel ashamed of what he'd done. He felt disgraced.

A crystallized, tiny teardrop slid slowly out of her eyes. They seemed to be staring at each other almost forever. "What are you waiting for Quistis?! Finish him off!" Zell bellowed, the anger boiling in his eyes. She immediately wiped away the tear and stared coldly at Seifer. "Well, look what you've become," she whispered.

 "Quistis...." he choked out.

"What, Seifer Almasy?" she asked, her iciness slowly swallowing her. 

"I'm..sorry..." his voice barely came out. She stood there. 

"Me too," she whispered. She took out her whip and struck a blow to his head. Seifer was immediately blacked out.

"Woo-hoo! Way to go Quistis!" came Zell's excited voice. She turned around and smiled slightly as Zell pumped his fist into the air.

 "Hey! That's MY thing, mister!" Selphie said playfully. Irvine started to do a victory dance and Selphie joined him. Quistis smiled as she saw her friends celebrating. After a few minutes, they helped Rinoa from the bed and took off the tape. 

"Uh...Rinoa? This might hurt..." Irvine said as he ripped off the tape from her lips. 

"GAH!!! I don't know whether to thank you or kill you," the raven haired girl said playfully. Quistis hurried over to Rinoa and hugged her tight. 

"We were so worried! How is everything? What have you been doing?" she asked 

. Rinoa smiled as her friend kept blabbering. Irvine took the chance to say "Calm down, Quistis." The Ice Queen glared at Irvine and he chuckled.

"Let's celebrate at Mister Fisher! It's this restaurant I saw on my way to phone you guys! It looks good!" Selphie said. They agreed and walked to the restaurant.

  
  
  
  
"What's good here?" Rinoa asked the waitress as they looked at their menus. 

"Well, miss, the special tonight is Fish Salad Surprise," the waitress smiled.

 "Ok then, I'll have that with ice tea," the young sorceress said. 

"And I'll have the Manly Steak, medium rare with a Miller Lite," Irvine said, putting up his manliest voice. The girls giggled. 

"I'll have the same, too, with the manliest beer you've got, ma'am," Zell said, trying to sound more manlier. The waitress stared at Zell and Irvine with amusement. The girls snickered with laughter.

 "I'll have a Tuna Salad with crackers and some orange juice," Quistis said, trying hard not to smile. 

"Uh-huh, and what would you like?" the waitress asked Selphie. 

"I'll have Catfish Alfredo with lemonade, please," Selphie said. They all handed in their menus and began a conversation. Irvine, who was sitting next to Selphie, noticed a bulge coming out of her purse. 

"Whatcha got there, Selphie?" he whispered to her. Selphie smiled slyly. "Oh, come on! You know I hate it when you do that!" he whispered.

 "Ok, but don't tell anyone," she replied. Out of her purse came a pretty white dress that was floor-length with a slit up the right leg. Straps were criss-crossed across the back of the silky dress that showed some skin and came up to the shoulders. 

"Wow, Selphie. You'd look purdy in that there thang, but, uh, no offense, but it's just a little too tall for ya," he said in a cowboy voice.

"Silly! It's not for me! It's for Rinoa! When she and Squall get back together they'll need a special reuniting ceremony and I thought I'd get her a dress while you guys were driving to Fisherman's Horizon," she explained.

"Oh! Good idea! But how do you know they'll get back together?" he asked. 

  
"I just know," Selphie said reassuringly, a smile playing on her lips.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Note-So do you think this chapter is good? Is it long enough? ^_^ Reviews please? Luv ya! 


	18. AHHHH

Squall awakened in the huge room he was going to stay in. The rays of light peeked through the blinds of his window and had hit him right in the eye. He grumbled and stood up from his bed. _I'm going to have a talk with my friends. They have no right taking my situations into their own hands. But as long as I'm here, I might as well view the town or something…._

He sauntered over to his bathroom and checked his angry reflection in the mirror. He sighed. _Rinoa.....I can't believe_ _I saw you again. __Stop thinking about her, Squall.__ Just stop it already. We're over, remember?! He sighed again and squeezed some tooth paste onto his brush and started brushing his teeth._

_No....you can't be over! What the hell are you gonna do without her, huh? Find someone else to be with? No! That_ _wouldn't be right. You know you were meant to be together! He struggled to find the true answer as he spit out the paste and gurgled his mouth. _

_No. We're over. It's my fault. I'm not going to enter her new life. She probably doesn't want me to anyway. It's_ _over._ After washing his face, he looked up at himself in the mirror again. _Man...I lost her. I'm so stupid....I have to find her._

He quickly brushed his silky brown hair and said to his reflection, "I just have to find her. I have to tell her how I feel. And if she doesn't want to be a part of my life anymore, I might as well find out. Besides, she deserves an apology from me." He didn't feel a bit of confidence, but ignored it as he walked out of the room, wondering where Rinoa usually was during the day in Timber. 

_Wow....did I actually say that to myself? What's wrong with me?_  He wondered as he recalled his brief conversation in front of his mirror. He decided to check the coffee shop around the corner for *Selvia* first, and then randomly choose where to go to find his other comrades.

The tiny bells on top of the old door of the tiny shop jingled cheerfully as Squall walked inside. Squall guessed that it was pretty early in the morning because there were only two people inside drinking coffee to start their day. He sat down on a stool and waited for a waiter to ask him what he wanted. Soon enough, a happy smile followed by a short body burst through the double doors of the kitchen. Squall could recognize her anywhere. 

"HEY SQUALL!!! REMEMBER ME?!" Selvia said, her emerald eyes sparkling with life. 

"I sure do_, Selvia_," he said, rolling his eyes when he said her false name. 

"Um.....what would you like for breakfast?" she asked uneasily, shuffling her feet around.

"Hmm...just scrambled eggs, bacon, and coffee...black," he said monotonously, eying the nervous girl carefully. Selphie looked into his angry eyes, that by the way, where swirling with black, blue, and grey, and stifled a gasp. _Uh....oh....big trouble...._ Selphie had noticed that when Squall was angry, all ominous colors suddenly appeared in his eyes, like a thunderstorm coming out of no where and ruining a sunny day.

Selphie hurried to the kitchen after she took his order, but not fast enough. She didn't make it all the way into the kitchen before she heard the words she dreaded to hear from him, "We need to talk....._Selphie."_

  
  


*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Irvine woke up to the smell of coffee downstairs. "Ahhh...." he said as he stretched out on the floor. _Hmph...this still_ _isn't fair. While Selphie gets to sleep on a bed, I, __Irvine__ Kinneas, have to sleep on a cold WOODEN floor! This stinks! Shit, this SUCKS! Why can't I just snuggle in with her? he thought, a naught smirk on his face._

He heard the doors of the coffee shop tinkle. Silence. Then the sound of boots that belonged to an unhappy stranger. "Ehehe...glad I didn't drink Selphie's coffee. Poor guy," he chuckled as he opened a small door, camouflaged with the wall, and headed into the tiny bathroom. 

He quickly undressed himself and stepped into the tub. When the water was at the right temperature, he pulled the lever and let the trickles of warm water drown him in a moment of bliss. "Ahhh...just right," he murmured to himself as he squirted out some shampoo and lathered his hair in it. After a while of shampooing his hair, he let the suds from the shampoo get washed away from the small tide of water running down his body. After his auburn hair was clean of shampoo, he reached for the conditioner and squirted it into his hand before massaging his scalp with it. "Ahh...what a heavenly scent..." he said, growing sleepy. The warm water made his vision blurry and the scent of the sweet shampoo and conditioner gently flowing around him made his knees bend a little towards the ground.

"Sweet....shampoo...sleepy..." he said groggily was his eyes closed. He fell asleep to the sound of running water running down his back.

  
  


*~*~*~*~

  
  


As Selphie slowly prepared Squall's breakfast, she heard a soft thump from upstairs. "Wonder what Irvy's done now?" she thought. She slowly poured the black coffee and sizzled the bacon. She was going to take her time so that she didn't have to talk to her angry friend. "Maybe if I make this breakfast really good, he'll be distracted and I can make a run for it," she said to herself. Agreeing with the plan, Selphie scrambled the eggs, sizzled the bacon, and poured the coffee with excellence. She decided to add a biscuit on the house to save her some time on her plan.

"Here ya are, Mister Squall!" Selphie said cheerily, handing his plate of steaming eggs, bacon, and a complimentary biscuit. She then slowly handed him a hot cup of coffee. 

"Thank you, Miss *Selvia*," Squall said and dug into his breakfast. Selphie took the time to thank him and act casual while she headed towards a couple near the front doors and acted like she was taking their order. Then, making sure Squall wasn't looking at her, she slipped out the doors, forgetting about the bells that tingled loudly. 

"AHHHHHHH!!!!" she screamed and raced like a roadrunner down the street and around a corner into an alley.

  
*~*~*~*~*~

Squall was finishing his eggs and bacon when he heard the tinkle of the bells and a loud scream from Selphie. He turned his head around, wide eyed and watched the brunette run out of the shop like a lightning bolt. He grabbed the biscuit, sipped on his coffee, paid the bill and ran out to catch up with her.

  
  


*******

  
  
__

_Oh my....Oh my oh my oh my...why did I have to turn this way?_ Selphie wondered to herself. A gang of five teenage boys stared at her dangerously, a gleam in their eyes. 

"Well boys, look what we got here, a lost little wittle girl," one of them said. 

"Yeah, look at the lost girl," the rest of them said. Selphie looked at the tallest boy. Obviously, he was the gang leader and the oldest. His hair was cut almost bald, fuzzy, golden blonde hair barely visible. His amber eyes glinted with mischief. He was wearing a leather jacket and the name Kobra was sewn into the jacket. A huge chain with a dollar sign hung from his neck heavily. He looked around 5' 7'' and his pants where slightly big for his size, and he had tiny feet that looked too tiny for his height. _Where are my nunchakus when I need them? she thought to herself. She slowly backed away from the group, but they quickly surrounded her._

"Don't leave just yet, miss! We're not even beginning! Where are your manners? Hasn't your mommy taught you anything?" the boy known as Kobra said dangerously. _On second thought, I'd rather face Squall than face death she thought to herself, worry visible on her features._

"Hello, miss, my name is Jeremiah Hiko, but everyone calls me Kobra," he said calmly, pointing to his jacket.

"My name is Yokisho Minozuki," a red haired boy with green eyes said.

 "My name is Henry Yaii" a black haired boy with sparkling emerald eyes said. 

"My name is Yamakaza Long" a blue haired boy with amethyst eyes said. Selphie noticed how intelligent those eyes were. But how'd he end up here? 

"And my name is Squall Leonhart" a familiar male voice said, cutting off the last member who angrily eyed Squall with his sapphire eyes.

"Who do you think you are?" Kobra asked pure venom in his voice. Squall ignored the question and looked at Selphie. 

"Let's go," he said stonily, motioning to the street. 

"Hey, where are your manners? You can't just leave! I challenge you to a fight till the death!" Kobra said angrily, his amber eyes flashing with hatred. 

"No," Squall said with just the same level of venom as his eyes turned stormy. Kobra could tell that this man meant no and that if he fought with him, he'd probably lose. But he ignored it.

"What, is what's-his-name afraid of losing against Kobra? You needn't be, my man. Many have died before me," he said, his eyes hoping for what he wanted. 

"No," Squall said again, growing impatient, and Selphie could've sworn there was lightning flashing in his eyes that time. 

"Chicken!" Kobra laughed, imitating one. The rest of the gang members followed his cue and started imitating a chicken. Squall took the time to grab Selphie's wrist and walk out of the alley. 

"Hey! No one walks out on Kobra!" the angry blonde said. 

"Well, lookie what we just did," Selphie hollered at him. Squall and Selphie were about to turn the corner when Kobra screamed with anger and pulled a gun out of his leather jacket.

The angry man raced with rage towards Squall and Selphie screamed. "Squall! Look---" Suddenly, the trusty Lionheart appeared out of no where and clanged against the fatal gun. He easily sliced the gun in half and unused bullets fell to the ground. The taller man leveled his dangerous gunblade to Kobra's neck. 

"I said no," Squall said again before lowering his blade and walking out of the alley with Selphie behind him.

Squall led her to a small park in the city of Timber and seat down on a bench, motioning for her to sit down. "You don't have to pretend anymore, Selphie. I know," he said, a slight degree of anger in his voice. Selphie winced slightly. 

"We were only trying to get you guys back together...I guess our plan backfired," she said unhappily. "It's just that we were sad when Rinoa left and we just wanted to help, including Headmaster Cid," she mumbled.

"What?! The Headmaster, too? I can't believe you guys! Just stay out of my personal life!" he said angrily. 

"She misses you too...." Selphie said, lowering her face to the ground. Squall looked at her angrily, but softened after a while. 

"She…does?" he asked. 

"Yes....we want you guys to get back together…please...for us?" Selphie pleaded. Squall sighed and thought for a minute _She_...misses me…or are they just saying that? Hyne, why does life have to be so cruel to me?_ _

After a moment's hesitation, he looked at Selphie and said, "What do I have to do?"

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A/N: How do you like that? I'm taking the advice and I'm really trying hard to update ASAP and write longer chappies! Please review! Plus, answer this question: Do you think there should be a sequel to this story? You know I'm going to end it with them getting back together, but for the sequel, I was thinking of something going bad for Rinoa, but I don't know if you want me to end this story, or continue with a sequel that would hurt Rinoa a tinsy winsy bit. I don't know, but if you like this story and you want a sequel, please tell me and if you think its better without a sequel, please tell me. I will tally the votes by the end of this story and you will find out on Notes and Thanks if I will have a sequel! Thanks!


	19. The Ending

Author's Note-I am so0o0o0o0o0o0o0o sorry for taking forever! School is taking up my time to type the stories, so I'll make this one exceptionally longer than usual (I think) because it includes...THE ENDING!!! WOO-HOO! And at the end of the story, I'll tell you if there should be a sequel.

"Argh...." Irvine mumbled as his eyes slowly focused. "Where am I?" he said to himself, wondering if he was in a dream. Everything was immensely foggy and the sound of soft rain could be heard. It was strangely WARM rain, too. He heard a distant voice calling his name. It sounded so familiar.

 "Irvine...Irvine?" came the feminine voice.  
  
"Selphie," he mumbled. His vision started clearing and he finally noticed he was in the shower butt-naked.  
  
"HOLY!" he whispered. Selphie was going to come in and see his naked form! _Oh...water bill...shit..._he thought, realizing he probably was sleeping in the shower with the water running for quite some time. Before he could do anything, the curtains swung open and Selphie concerned face appeared before him. She took one look at him and screamed as loud as she could.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" both hollered in unison.  
  
"What is going on in there?!" came Squall's annoyed voice. He came into the room and saw the scene, eyes bulging. Irvine stared at Squall and Squall stared at Irvine for a very, very, very, very long time. Then, eyes still bulging, Squall walked out of the room and closed the door shut. Irvine's face turned crimson red. Selphie was still in the bathroom, screaming.  
  
"Uh…Selphie? Could you please leave so I can get dressed?" he asked her. Selphie ceased her screaming, nodded energetically and ran out of the room.  
  
10 minutes later  
  
Irvine emerged from the bathroom, sheepishly grinned, and sat on the bed.  
  
"Sooo....what's up?" he asked.

 Rinoa entered Quistis's hotel room. "Hey, cool room, Quisty!" Rinoa exclaimed. The walls were icy blue, fitting Quistis's usual mood while fighting, but hand-painted drawings of flowers, bunnies, everything Rinoa-like made the room cheery.  
  
"Thanks, Rinny. Um....I need to talk to you....it's about...well, Squall," she said slowly and deliberately.  
  
"What?!" alarmed, Rinoa stood up and got ready to leave the room.  
  
"No! Rinoa, please! Wait! I know you both miss each other, I know it! Are you just going to throw it away because of a stupid fight?! Come on, Rinoa! You should give him another chance. Don't be a fool," she said, her piercing gaze making Rinoa shiver. The raven-haired girl fell to her knees and started sobbing with her hands up to her face. Quistis sighed and walked over to her. She bent down and wrapped her arms around her friend in a comforting grip.  
  
"It's ok, Rin. It's ok. Please, you're the only one for him, you understand? _The only one_. If you leave him, just think that he'll just be the same cold guy you met. I don't want that and I know you wouldn't, too," she said softly. Rinoa continued to cry, but her sobs started to quiet down.  
  
"I'm such a loser. I don't know why I did what I did. I miss him so much and it hurts! For the first time of my life, I don't know what to do. I don't know anything..." her muffled voice shook.  
  
"Hey, we're all here for you. Lemme call Selphie and Irvine. Uh, see...I might as well fill you in. We made a plan to get you guys back together and right now, those two should have him right about now. You can talk to him......if you want," she said.  
  
"No...I'm...I'm not ready...yet. But I'm sure I'll be able to. What if he doesn't want me back? Are you guys just making this up?" she questioned, her suspicious stare directed at Quistis.  
  
"We're not making this up. Now come on, let's talk to your long lost friends. You don't have to talk to Squall, but just listen to us," Quistis said. Rinoa nodded and followed the blonde instructor to the phone.

After explaining to Irvine that Squall would go with the plan, the cowboy nodded with a grin. "Ok, so what's the plan?" he asked Selphie. His girlfriend motioned for him to go outside with her.  
  
"We'll be right back, Squall," she said cheerily. Irvine followed her outside and Selphie began her plan.

"Ok, cowboy. Here's my plan. Remember when I showed you that dress?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, I found the PERFECT restaurant. It's called Haomein Dei Restaurant. I made a reservation for six people tonight at seven. Rinoa's going to wear that dress and we'll pick a tuxedo for Squall. It will be so0o0o0o romantic! I'm sure it'll work!"  
  
"Yeah, and if it doesn't, here's Plan B. I find a spot for Squall to seduce his woman and I'll mark it with a dirty magazine--"

 Squall could hear a big **SMACK!** on the other side of the door and Irvine's wounded animal cry. He smirked briefly and heard Selphie scold her boyfriend. Then they both re-entered the room, Selphie grinning, and Irvine rubbing his head and scowling.  
  
"LET'S GO SHOPPING!" Selphie cheered, followed by two male groans. The phone rang. "LET'S GO SHOPPING AFTER I PICK UP THE PHONE!" Selphie cheered, followed by sighs of relief. Selphie grinned again and walked over to the ringing phone. "Hello?" she asked.  
  
"QUISTY! What? Yes! That's GREAT news! Yeah, we're going to get Squall's tux! Yea, I already got Rin's dress. Uh huh. Uh huh. Great! Yeah, the restaurant's Haomein Dei Restaurant in Balamb. Yep! We're going back to Balamb. Why? Because of the pretty, romantic beaches! Yep, I'm clever. Uh huh. Ok! Hey Rinoa! What's up? Yeah, you wanna talk to Squall?" Selphie asked. Squall instantly stiffened and stepped backwards toward the door.  
  
"No? Not yet. Ok then, I understand. Did Quisty tell you where we're going? Great! We'll all meet ya there! Can I talk to Quisty again? Thanks, I'll see ya Rin!" Selphie said.  
  
"Geez, girls can talk forever!" Irvine groaned. He instantly received a smack on the head by Selphie.  
  
"Ok Quisty! It's all set! Wear something nice and I don't mean your battle wear!" Selphie said grinning.  
  
"Oh, yeah, where's Zell? Really? Ok, invite Amie too, then. Bye!" she said and placed the phone in the cradle.  
  
"Hold on boys, I gotta call the restaurant," she said. A couple of minutes passed and the reservation was made for seven people.  
  
"Phew! Okay! Let's go shopping!" Selphie cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

 Quistis hung up on the phone with a small smile on her face.  
  
"This is going to be great, Rinoa. Just you wait," she told her reluctant friend. Suddenly, Rinoa's thoughts traced back to Seifer. Even though he had been beaten up, she still felt sorry for him.  
  
"Is Seifer going to be ok?" Rinoa asked in a tiny voice. She could see Quistis stiffen and her eyes glaze over briefly.  
  
"He's dead," she said.  
  
"What?!" Rinoa said. She knew that Quistis's last blow had knocked him unconscious, but she didn't know her blonde friend had killed him.  
  
"The police informed us that he managed to stay alive and walk outside, but they arrested him. They took him to D-District Prison for kidnapping an innocent girl.

"He killed himself. Before he did, he asked the police to give a note...to me," she whispered, tears flowing out of her eyes.  
  
"What did the note say?" Rinoa asked hesitantly.  
  
".........I love you."

 "This one! And this one! Oh wait, Squall!!! Take this one, too!" Selphie said to Squall. He was already hidden among the many different stylish tuxedos Selphie had covered him with. Irvine suppressed a smile, trying not to laugh. Underneath the clothes, Squall's death glare penetrated through the clothes.  
  
"Grrr....Remind me why I'm doing this again?!" he growled.  
  
"To look SEXY!" Selphie said, giggling. Squall rolled his eyes and the energetic brunette shoved him into the dressing room.  
  
"I can't move," came Squall's muffled voice. Irvine and Selphie took ten minutes to help Squall move some of the tuxedos to the empty dressing room next to him so he could have space.  
  
I'm too sexy music playing  
  
Squall came out wearing a totally black tuxedo with a flower pin off to the side. A black hat made him look like the grim reaper part two. Selphie started laughing and shaking her head and soon Irvine followed. Squall frowned and went back into the dressing room. "I thought it was nice," he grumbled.  
  
Second time:

Squall came out wearing a crocodile tuxedo that was dark green. The undershirt was grey.  
  
"AHHHHHH AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAA......." Selphie fell over from the chair she was sitting on. Squall took that as a 'no' and grumbled again, re- entering the dressing room.

Third time:

Squall came out with a smirk much like Seifer's, wearing a tuxedo that was black with a white undershirt. The collar of the undershirt held a black bow. The shiny black leather shoes matched perfectly with the outfit and luckily, there was NO hat. Selphie grinned. Irvine gave a wolf whistle.  
  
"That's the one," she said softly. Irvine nodded in agreement.  
  
"Now.." she said, a mischievous smile on her face. She turned towards Irvine, smiling sweetly.  
  
"Hell no!" Irvine screamed.  
  
"Squall! Help me! Come on, man!" he screamed.  
  
"Nuh-uh. I had to go through this. It's your turn," Squall said, his eyes smiling.

"He...loves you?" Rinoa said, her eyes giving away her shock. Quistis nodded slowly, the tears flowing freely from her face.  
  
"And I never knew," she whispered, looking down at the floor.  
  
"Do you love him too?" Rinoa asked. Quistis looked up at her frowning friend.  
  
"I...I don't know," she said. "I never thought much of it." A couple of minutes passed and she wiped her tears away firmly.  
  
"He's dead now. There's nothing that I can do. Lemme call Selphie and have her deliver your dress. We're focusing on you and Squall. Not me," she said coldly, her eyes showing longing. Rinoa watched her friend walk over to the phone and call Selphie. She felt so sorry for her. Never having anyone to love. Never sure if she should show her feelings. And when someone truly loved her, he was taken away. Forever. Fresh tears escaped her eyes and she wiped them away. She never really loved Seifer, but he loved Quistis and now he was gone. She couldn't believe it. Wasn't it just two years ago that she had dated him? Wow, how the time goes by. Quistis returned into the room with a new smile on her face.  
  
"Selphie's coming!" she exclaimed. Rinoa smiled sadly at her and hugged her.  
  
"Thanks...for everything," she mumbled.

 "It's six thirty! Come on, Squall! Get out of that damn bathroom!" Irvine rapped at the door again. Squall had shut himself in the bathroom an hour ago and he wouldn't come out. "What the hell is wrong, man?!"  
  
"......I look stupid."  
  
"Well so do I! At least you don't have to wear what I'm wearing!" Irvine hollered. He glared in the mirror at his auburn tux that matched his hair. There was also a white undershirt on it and a flower pin and corsage were in his hand for Selphie. Irvine heard a sigh from the other side of the door and Squall's stormy eyes peeped out.  
  
"Fine, I'm coming out," he mumbled.  
  
"Thank you! Geez! Now come on, we're supposed to meet Selphie and the girls in thirty minutes!" The two men hurried out of the coffee shop and into Irvine's car.  
  
"Cowboy Power?" Squall asked his friend. He expected that to be what Selphie would want to have on her car's license plate in the back.  
  
"Shut up," Irvine growled. They slipped into the car and rode off to the train station. In ten minutes, they made it to the FH train station.  
  
"Two tickets to Balamb," Irvine said quickly and paid for the tickets. They went into an empty compartment and faced each other.  
  
"This is going to be a long night," Squall mumbled.

Rinoa entered the Haomein Dei Restaurant and looked around. "Wow...." she gasped. Everything was dimly lit. Candles were in the center of every table and she could see the table they were going to sit at. There were six candles on the table and two crystal vases holding fake roses. Soft romantic music was playing, lighting the mood. The restaurant was built on a hill and the flight up the stairs had nearly exhausted Rinoa. She looked out the windows and saw the dry sand below and the gentle breeze of the wind. Dark waves brushed against the shore and caused the dry said to be wet a little.  
  
"So what do you think?" came Selphie's cheery voice. "Did I choose the perfect place or what?" Rinoa nodded in agreement and sat down in a chair. Selphie sat across from her, looking stunning. She was wearing an emerald colored dress that was a little above the knees. Her dark green eye shadow with just a little but of copper at the top made her shining eyes stand out.  
  
"Just wait until the guys get a load of us, huh?" Selphie laughed. Rinoa giggled.  
  
"Wow, I haven't laughed in so long..." Rinoa said.  
  
"Really? When we were in Garden all I heard was laugh, laugh, laugh from Rinoa Heartilly," Selphie smiled. Rinoa smiled back and the two ladies waited for the rest of their friends to come.

 Quistis walked along the beach below the restaurant. She was dressed in a black strapless dress that was floor-length. A slit was on the right side and her ornate black sandals stood out. She was wearing sapphire earrings and a sapphire amulet clung to her neck. She looked out at the ocean, lost in her own thoughts. Her thoughts drifted to Seifer, his smirking face, the way his eyes showed pain when he didn't pass his SeeD exam. She'd always wanted him to succeed, and now he'd never have another chance. Pain was evident in her pale blue eyes and her eyes glazed over.  
  
"I love you too," she said, hoping his spirit was somewhere near her to listen. She knew it. She had loved him more than Squall ever since she had seen him in the orphanage. She was just too blind to see it. And now it was too late to let him know. She looked up at the restaurant windows and saw Selphie waving at her to come up. Quistis nodded to her and went up the stairs.

 Five minutes passed as the three young women waited for Squall, Irvine, Zell, and Amie. First came Zell and Amie, staring at each other so lovingly, lost in each other's eyes. This made Rinoa and Quistis look away in pain. Zell was wearing a tuxedo something like Squall's and Amie had on a dark blue floor-length spaghetti strap with a pearl necklace.  
  
"You guys look sooooooooo cute together!" Selphie exclaimed. Zell and Amie noticed Selphie and started blushing mad instantly. Selphie laughed and motioned for them to sit down.  
  
"Now all we have to wait for is Irvine and Squall!" Selphie cheered. Ten more minutes passed and then the doors opened. Rinoa stiffened. Quistis's eyes darted to the doors. Selphie waited expectantly. Zell and Amie were busy. First, Irvine entered the room with a scowl on his face. He sat down next to Selphie.  
  
"Say anything about my tux and you can kiss your life goodbye," he growled at everyone. The women all laughed and Zell tried to suppress his laughter, but failed miserably.  
  
"Come on in, Squall," Irvine said to the hidden figure. Squall hesitantly entered the room and looked around. He spotted Rinoa and uneasily sat down next to her. There was a moment of silence and then the waitress came in, handing them their menus. The seven friends went through their meal courses, laughing and talking about the old days, except Squall who kept quiet the whole time. Finally, Selphie ordered the wine and proposed a toast to Squall and Rinoa getting back together. Everyone raised their glasses.  
  
"To Squall and Rinoa!" everyone cheered. Squall raised his glass reluctantly. Just before the glass could tinkle, he dropped it and it smashed into smithereens on the floor.  
  
"I can't do this," he said. He walked out of the door and hurried down the stairs.  
  
"Squall! Wait!" Rinoa called and ran after him. Everyone sat there in silence, watching the two disappear. A small smile from Selphie went unnoticed…..

 "Squall! Please, wait!" Rinoa called after him. Squall quickly walked down the steps and onto the sandy beach. Rinoa followed after him.  
  
"Squall!" she called. He wouldn't stop. It was too painful. He wanted her, but he couldn't just make up and everything would be alright. Her voice became more distant. Suddenly, she was in front of him, blocking his way.  
  
"Rinoa--" he started.  
  
"No, you listen to me," she said, her voice shaking. Tears started to spill. She hugged him tightly and buried her face in his chest. Surprise overtook him. Rinoa started sobbing uncontrollably. "I missed you so much!" her raging sobs were like sharp needles piercing his soul. He hated to see her like this. The shock started dissolving and he hesitantly wrapped his strong arms around her.  
  
"I--I......missed you too," he said. Rinoa knew he had a hard time expressing himself and she made a small smile that only she knew was there. She looked up into those stormy grey eyes she had fallen in love with and he looked at her puppy brown eyes. Rinoa made a tiny smile up at him, hoping he would return it. He wiped away her tears with his thumb and smiled a small smile back at her. Her smile widened and she leaned in to kiss him. They stayed like that for what seemed like a lifetime. Squall didn't care if anyone saw him because he felt like he was alive again. He felt he could do anything now.

Selphie, Quistis, Amie, Irvine, and Zell had come down the stairs with concern on their faces. When they saw the two lovers holding each other, reunited once again, they knew the lion and the angel would be together for some time. Selphie smiled as wide as she could and turned towards Irvine. He turned towards her and he leaned down to kiss her. Amie and Zell did the same, leaving Quistis looking at them with a sad smile. She walked up to Rinoa and Squall. "I'm happy for you two," she whispered softly. Rinoa briefly broke their passionate kiss and smiled at her friend.

"Thanks, Quisty. Thank you so much," she gave her a look in the eyes that expressed more happiness than anyone had ever seen that it blinded her for a second. She left the two alone and walked farther down the beach. She gazed at the stars that were shining brightly down at her and wondered if one of those stars were Seifer, if he was watching over her. Did he really love her? Or was it just his way of a joke before he died? She shrugged off the thought and stared at the dark, rolling waves. The breeze played with the free strands of her blonde hair. She smiled softly and looked up at the stars once again as a shooting star flashed brilliantly across the sky. It was like a sign to tell her to move on with her life. Seifer was gone, and there was nothing she could do about it. It was time to leave the past behind. Smiling genuinely, she turned around and walked back to her friends.

A/N: END OF STORY! Woo-hoo!  Crappy ending, but oh well, ya? Go on to notes and thanks!

Notes and Thanks!

I'd like to thank my sister for coming up with the title. We were riding in my mom's car and I was trying to think of a good title for this story and she said sarcastically, "How about The Meaning of Whatever?" and then my mom and I thought that was a good title that would surely attract attention, which it did . Ok, it's called that because it when Squall says," Whatever," it doesn't just mean whatever. It means ok, I'll be there, or I care. I forgot to include that in the last chapter, but it wouldn't be right and I couldn't find a spot to stick it in. Thanks to my reviewers for giving me advice! I really appreciate it! Also, I've decided that there won't be a sequel so sorry to those who are disappointed! Love ya'll! Until next time/story,

Mai


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